New research by researchers from Case Western Reserve University suggests that bacterial sugars in the gut could be a hidden contributor to neurodegenerative diseases Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The researchers found that gut bacteria produce inflammatory forms of glycogen, which triggers brain inflammation and neuron death. The research also found that when these sugars trigger immune responses that damage the brain, the immune system reacts uncontrollably. The researchers are now working on developing treatments for these diseases. The findings suggest that microbial glycogen may be an important example among many environmental and lifestyle factors that interact with predisposing genotypes to contribute to ALS onset and progression.