In the intestine there would be a “elixir of youth” for the brain. This is the microbiota intestinal, or the set of all microbes that inhabit the portion of our digestive system. Transplanting from a young to an older organism could counteract the changes associated with brain aging. The revelation comes from a study conducted by scientists at University College Cork, Ireland, published in the journal Nature Aging. A murine model.
The intestinal microbiota to improve brain function
According to the authors of the research, the transplants of the microbiota intestinal could have therapeutic potential against cognitive decline caused by advancing age. The microbes that inhabit our body influence the mechanisms and health that varies over the years and the gut microbiota can affect the aging of the brain and increase the risk of developing diseases neurodegenerative. The team’s research, led by neuroscientists John Cryan and Marcus Böhme, started from the idea that the process could be reversed. To evaluate the hypothesis they were transplanted fecal microbes from the intestines of young donor mice, three or four months old, to elderly specimens, over 19 months old. The researchers found that the aging-related changes of the immune system of the older animals were overthrown by the relocation of the microbiota intestinal of younger ones.
The results also showed that the transplant brought an improvement of the cognitive system of the recipient mice that appeared to have become more capable in thelearning, memory and anxiety. “In short, we have shown that chemicals in one region of the brain involved in learning and memory (the hippocampus) were more similar to those of young mice after microbiota transplantation. Our results conclusively show that the microbiome is important for a healthy brain in old age, “Cryan wrote.
Although further investigation is needed regarding the real effects of the microbiota gut on the brain, neuroscientists believe the outcomes observed so far show the potential for a new one therapy could have on aging. Dietary treatments targeted could promote gut health and immunity resulting in keeping the main organ of our nervous system young and healthy.
Another research has shown that listening to music just before bedtime could disrupt sleep and damage the brain.
Stefania Bernardini
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