A recent study by researchers from the University of Exeter suggests that harmful oral bacteria may damage the brain, increasing the risk of dementia in individuals aged 50 and over.
The study, published in PNAS Nexus, analyzed data from 110 participants over the age of 50. It found that elevated levels of the harmful bacteria Porphyromonas “precede dementia diagnosis.”
“These results provide a rationale for further research into underlying mechanisms that connect the oral microbiome to cognitive health through the trajectory from health to MCI, and ultimately to postdementia diagnosis,” stated authors of the study.
These findings have significant implications for understanding preclinical cognitive risk states and how cognitive decline could be delayed or prevented using prebiotic interventions
Authors of the study
Good bacteria’s benefits
Conversely, the study identified benefits associated with beneficial bacteria, specifically Neisseria and Haemophilus species, which were linked to improved cognitive function. Participants with higher levels of these beneficial bacteria demonstrated better memory, attention, and ability to perform complex tasks.
The research also examined the imbalance between harmful and beneficial bacteria and its impact on the body’s ability to process nitrates found in a vegetable-rich diet. Nitrates are recognized for their nutritional value in improving vascular and metabolic brain regulation.
The authors suggested that prebiotic interventions could potentially serve as a defense mechanism against the effects of aging.
“These findings have significant implications for understanding preclinical cognitive risk states and how cognitive decline could be delayed or prevented using prebiotic interventions,” the authors of the study said.
Wondering how to increase your prebiotics? Read: Prebiotics: Not Only For Gut Health?
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