High-Fiber Diet Delays Onset of Huntington’s Symptoms in Preclinical Model

A study led by Professor Anthony Hannan at The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health suggests that a high-fiber diet could delay the onset of symptoms in Huntington’s disease, a devastating neurodegenerative disorder for which there is currently no cure. Published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the study utilized a preclinical model of Huntington’s disease to investigate the impact of different levels of dietary fiber on symptoms, including motor, cognitive, and psychiatric deficits. The research indicates that high-fiber intake not only enhanced gastrointestinal function but also improved cognition and behavior, offering potential therapeutic implications for Huntington’s disease and related disorders involving dysfunction of the gut-brain axis.

Key Points:

1. Huntington’s Disease (HD): HD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a faulty gene, leading to motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms over time. There is currently no cure or effective treatment for HD.
2. Gut-Brain Axis Disruption: Recent research has shown disruption to the composition of bacterial populations within the gut in individuals with HD, highlighting the involvement of the gut-brain axis in the disease.
3. Study Objective: The study aimed to investigate whether dietary interventions, specifically different levels of dietary fiber consumption, could modulate symptoms in a preclinical model of HD.
4. Dietary Fiber Intervention: The research team tested the impact of high, medium, and zero levels of dietary fiber intake in the preclinical HD model. The study assessed motor, cognitive, and affective functions, as well as gastrointestinal function.
5. Exciting Findings: High-fiber intake was found to be effective in enhancing gastrointestinal function, cognition, and affective behaviors in the preclinical HD model. This suggests that dietary fiber interventions could have therapeutic potential in delaying the onset of clinical symptoms in HD.
6. Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis: The study indicates that the beneficial modulation of HD symptoms through high-fiber intake may involve the microbiome-gut-brain axis. The gut microbiome in the HD model responded differently to high-fiber intake compared to non-HD mice.
7. Broader Implications: The findings could have broader implications for brain disorders exhibiting dysfunction of the gut-brain axis, including depression and dementia. Further research is needed to explore these potential connections.
8. Clinical Trial Plans: The Florey team plans to collaborate with Australian and international colleagues to establish a clinical trial to test the benefits of a high-fiber diet in humans with HD. This will help determine the translational potential of the findings.

Conclusion:

The study led by Professor Anthony Hannan at The Florey Institute suggests that a high-fiber diet may delay the onset of symptoms in Huntington’s disease, based on findings in a preclinical model. The research provides insights into the potential therapeutic benefits of dietary fiber interventions in HD and related disorders involving the gut-brain axis. Further clinical trials are planned to assess the applicability of a high-fiber diet in humans with HD, offering hope for improved management and delayed onset of symptoms in this devastating neurodegenerative disorder.

More information: Carolina Gubert et al, Dietary fibre confers therapeutic effects in a preclinical model of Huntington’s disease, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.12.023