Nutrition and the microbiome affect brain health

It turned out that people with a smaller variety of microbes in their intestines and with a certain imbalance of bacteria are more likely to experience mental deterioration. But even that’s not all — those who had difficulties with regular access to food had even worse intestinal conditions, and memory and attention suffered more.

The authors of the study note that in 2022, more than 17 million American families faced problems with access to food, which is significantly more than in previous years. This instability affects not only the body, but also the brain.

360 adults from the state of Wisconsin participated in the experiment. The composition of the bacteria in their intestines was studied using a special analysis, then the experts compared the data with the state of their cognitive functions and information about access to food.

It turned out that there are special groups of bacteria in the intestines that are differently associated with memory loss in those who experience a lack of food and those who do not. This is an important discovery, because it can help create different approaches to treatment and prevention depending on a person’s social status.

The researchers emphasize that food shortages are not just an economic problem. It affects human biology by changing the composition of the microbiome and impairing brain health.

More and more people are now facing memory impairment and other cognitive problems, especially the elderly. Scientists believe that in order to combat these diseases, it is necessary to take into account not only genetics and lifestyle, but also factors such as the availability of high-quality nutrition.