The microbes present in our intestine play a fundamental role in brain development, but also in its decay
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousThus the gut microbiome could reverse the aging process of the brain according to this new international research
Across the world, the elderly population (aged over 65) is set to increase more and more, reaching unprecedented levels by 2050. Aging has therefore become a global problem, and one of the challenges of our time. it is represented by the development of strategies to keep the elderly population healthy - especially with regard to the cognitive problems associated with aging of the brain. Already a large group of studies has made it possible to understand that the elderly brain is more malleable and plastic than previously believed, but this is not enough to preserve its good health.
The researchers of APC Microbiome Ireland (APC) have developed a new approach to try to 'reverse the trend' and block (or at least slow down) brain deterioration while preserving cognitive function - thanks to the microbiome in the gut.
Il intestinal microbiome performs numerous functions within our body: it controls the proper functioning of our immune system, intervenes in metabolic processes (conditions the onset of obesity and other metabolic diseases), but also impacts the health and functionality of our brain in two stages of life - in childhood and old age: when we are small, in fact, intestinal microbes condition our learning ability and the development of our cognitive faculties, laying the foundations for the health of our brain when we are grown up; when we are elderly, however, the microbiome can help us fight brain decay.
But how is this possible? From the first experiments conducted, it emerged that the transplantation of fecal microbiome from younger people into older people is able to attenuate cognitive impairments and reverse the trend towards cerebral aging.
(Read also: What's the secret to living to a hundred? The answer may be in the gut)
These first, very interesting results show that the health of our intestine (made of choices that are made above all at the table, with a balanced diet and a correct supply of nutrients) also improves that of our brain. While it is still early days to apply this new technology to age-related treatments, the study opens up possibilities in the future to manage and modulate the gut microbiome as a therapeutic target to influence brain health.
It would therefore be important to promote even more healthy and balanced diets to protect brain health. Indeed, one could imagine foods designed specifically to keep the brains of the elderly active or for the cognitive development of children and young people.
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Fonte: Nature / APC
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