Journal of Emerging Scholarship

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are a growing global health burden that is only getting worse as the population continues to age. Despite their clinical differences, these disorders share a core pathological feature: the misfolding and aggregation of proteins into β-sheetrich amyloid structures that resist degradation and propagate in a prion-like manner. Increasing evidence suggests that oligomers disrupt ion homeostasis and neuronal membrane activity, indicating that oligomers represent the most toxic form of amyloid proteins rather than mature fibrils. The brain-centered view of neurodegeneration has been expanded to include the gut microbiome. Gut microbes and their products may contribute to the initiation and propagation of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. This review examines the key components of amyloid biochemistry, including structure and mechanisms of formation and toxicity. It also examines the role of microbiome-driven contributions and potential therapeutic targets.