Gut’s key role in reversing cognitive decline revealed
Preventing cognitive decline may be as easy as eating more fruit and exercising, according to a world-first study into the association between healthy gut bacteria and the cognitive impacts of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Preventing cognitive decline may be as easy as eating more fruit and exercising, according to a world-first study into the association between healthy gut bacteria and the cognitive impacts of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
The Australia-China study – the first in humans after positive results in animal studies – has found that people with reduced gut microbiota were more likely to be cognitively impaired. Importantly, when these men with reduced gut microbiota increased their fruit intake and exercise, the bacteria in their gut flourished and became more diverse, providing the first evidence for an easy intervention strategy to prevent and lessen cognitive decline.
The study, led by Professor Lei Zhang, from both the School of Translational Medicine and the Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, and published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, looked at 229 adults aged 60 years and over from Shenzhen, China.
The participants were divided into cognitive impairment and no cognitive impairment groups. They then had their gut microbiota characterised.
The researchers found that the men with cognitive impairment had a much lower diversity of gut microbiota compared to those men who were cognitively healthy. The researchers found that Gram negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas were more prevalent in men with cognitive impairment. It is known that gram negative bacteria can facilitate the production of amyloids, which are associated with the development and progress of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The study also found that increased fruit intake and exercise contribute to a higher abundance of at least three “good” bacteria — Megamonas, Blautia, and Veillonella — linked to cognitive health.
With an ageing population, the number of people with dementia globally is expected to reach 78 million by 2030. According to Professor Zhang, the human gut microbiome is “often referred to as the body’s second genome because of its role in shaping intestinal health and overall energy and immunity,” he said.
“Our findings reveal that consuming fresh fruit and engaging in regular exercise help promote the growth of gut microbiota, which is beneficial for cognitive function and can protect against cognitive impairment.”
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