The gut-brain axis along aging
The gut microbiota plays an important role in the physiology of the central nervous system and inflammation. Brain-gut communication enables bidirectional modulatory effects between the microbiota and the central nervous system, which might be involved in physiological and pathological events. Changes in the intestinal microbiota during aging show a decrease in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, presenting a higher proportion of Bacteroides, Clostridium, and Proteobacteria, and a decrease in Actinobacteria compared to young adults.
We are cultivating and analyzing thousands of bacterias from the Chilean population, in order to find new strains with positive effect over inflammation and aging.

Restoring the gut microbiome for healthy aging
Our research focuses on the search for bacterial consortia with effect over the aging process. Our aim is to restore the intestinal microbiota during aging, converting it into a healthier and more beneficial intestinal microbiota. For the generation of bacterial consortia, we have generated a bank of bacteria isolated from the intestinal microbiota of healthy Chileans with a wide diversity of bacteria strains. Hundreds of these isolated and taxonomically classified bacteria has been evaluated for their probiotic properties and we are currently generating consortia for in vitro and in vivo studies. In addition, we are studying the gut microbiota in aged people, trying to correlate changes in their composition associated to the risk to develop brain conditions.
People involved
Related Publications
PUBLICATIONSBioRxivNeuroRegenerationAGING
January 25, 2023
Senescent Schwann cells induced by aging and chronic denervation impair axonal regeneration after peripheral nerve injury
Andrés Fuentes-Flores, Cristian Geronimo-Olvera, David Ñecuñir, Sandip Kumar Patel, Joanna Bons, Megan C Wright, Daniel Geschwind, Ahmet Hoke, Jose A. Gomez-Sanchez, Birgit Schilling, Judith Campisi, Felipe A. Court
bioRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.07.519441
PUBLICATIONSDataPNSNeuroRegeneration
September 26, 2022
Neuronal activity-dependent ATP enhances the pro-growth effect of repair Schwann cell extracellular vesicles by increasing their miRNA-21 loading
Cristian Saquel, Romina J. Catalan, Rodrigo Lopez-Leal, Ramon A. Ramirez, David Necuñir, Ursula Wyneken, Christophe Lamaze and Felipe A. Court
PUBLICATIONSDataCNSNeuroDegeneration
August 29, 2022
An Optimized Comparative Proteomic Approach as a Tool in Neurodegenerative Disease Research
Rachel A. Kline, Lena Lößlein, Dominic Kurian, Judit Aguilar Martí, Samantha L. Eaton,
Felipe A. Court, Thomas H. Gillingwater, and Thomas M. Wishart
PUBLICATIONSDataNervous System FxCNSNeuroDegenerationAGING
August 8, 2022
Commentary on “PANoptosis-like cell death in ischemia/reperfusion injury of retinal neurons”
Macarena S. Arrázola, Court FA.
PMID: 35900426
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