Scientists found that a specific friendly bacteria can help improve memory in older people. This could be a new way to help people with minor memory problems.
How They Did It
Researchers conducted a study to see if a probiotic (a kind of good bacteria) could help with memory issues as people get older.
They worked with 169 people between the ages of 52 and 75. These participants were split into two main groups:
- People with no memory problems.
- People with minor memory problems.
In each group, some people got the probiotic, while others received a fake pill (placebo). The probiotic they used was called Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (or LGG for short).
They chose LGG because past studies on animals showed it could be good for memory.
The study lasted for three months. During this time, they also checked the type of bacteria present in the participants’ guts by studying their poop.
What They Found
After the study, they noticed some things:
People with minor memory issues had more of a certain kind of bacteria (Prevotella) in their guts compared to those with no memory problems.
When the people with minor memory problems took LGG, they had less of this Prevotella bacteria and their memory scores got better.
So, the results suggest that if we adjust the type of bacteria in our guts, we might help improve memory in older adults.
Why This Matters
Understanding our gut and the bacteria in it might be a new way to tackle memory problems. If we can use simple solutions, like probiotics, to improve memory, it would be a big deal.
It’s especially important to help people with minor memory problems because, if left unchecked, these problems could turn into severe issues like Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia.
Today, many scientists focus on serious memory diseases. But, the researchers here wanted to look at minor memory issues because they believe it’s easier to make a difference early on.
If we can help people at this stage, we might prevent more serious problems in the future.
Now, researchers are looking deeper into how this Prevotella bacteria works and how changing it affects our brain health. They’re also trying to understand how these good bacteria can make our brain function better.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about low choline intake linked to higher dementia risk, and how eating nuts can affect your cognitive ability.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
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