Muk In-hee, Director General of the Dementia Overcoming Research and Development Project (professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine), shared the latest research results during a keynote speech on the 29th (local time) at the '2025 Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC 2025)' held in Toronto, Canada.
AAIC is the world's largest academic conference on dementia, hosted annually by the Alzheimer's Association in the United States, featuring participation from neuroscientists, clinicians, pharmaceutical and biotech industry representatives, and policymakers from over 100 countries.
Alzheimer's disease is a representative neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the pathological accumulation of amyloid and tau proteins in the brain. Previously, research focused mainly on brain lesions, but recently, there has been increasing interest in how changes in peripheral organs, including the gut, influence brain health, a phenomenon referred to as the 'Gut-Brain Axis.'
In this context, Director General Muk focused on the 'vagus nerve,' which directly connects the gut and brain. The vagus nerve is a major pathway linking the digestive system and the brain, and he proposed a new pathogenesis hypothesis suggesting that it could serve as a transport route for substances generated in or entering the gut to reach the brain.
In the keynote speech, Director General Muk addressed the topic 'Alzheimer's disease and the Gut-Brain Axis: Unraveling pathogenic mechanisms and exploring new treatment strategies,' presenting the latest research demonstrating that the visceral afferent nerve among the vagus nerves can serve as a pathway for the movement of pathological substances, using organoids, animal models, and clinical data.
Director General Muk explained, 'Previous research on the Gut-Brain Axis primarily focused on how gut immune cells influence the brain through the bloodstream, but there are fundamental limitations to substance transport due to the physiological barrier known as the blood-brain barrier.' The blood-brain barrier allows oxygen and nutrients to pass through while blocking larger substances from entering the brain.
Professor Muk stated, 'In contrast, the visceral afferent nerve directly connects the gut and brain, potentially providing a new pathway for the toxic substances generated in the gut to be transmitted to the brain.'
Professor Muk In-hee is a leading neuroscientist in Korea who has pioneered basic and translational research to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease for over 30 years. She currently serves as the Director General of the Dementia Overcoming Research and Development Project, jointly supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, overseeing the establishment of domestic dementia research strategies and research infrastructure.
A representative of the Dementia Overcoming Research and Development Project noted, 'This keynote speech has become an opportunity to elevate Korea's international standing in dementia research,' adding that 'it is expected to serve as a stepping stone for expanding international collaborative research and cooperation.'