According to research from the University of East Anglia, the Quadram Institute, and the University of Florence, fecal transplants could be a cure for cognitive decline. The technique – which involves introducing doner feces into the gastrointestinal tract of a patient to repopulate the essential microbes in their gut – isn’t new. It’s already being used for treating gastrointestinal infections and other conditions.
Prof Arjan Narbad, from the Quadram Institute, said:
Manipulating the microbiome is increasingly being seen as a way of improving or maintaining human health, and these results are an exciting indication of its potential for helping us age healthily. We have established an FMT service on the Norwich Research Park to treat serious gut infections. We now want to explore in humans its effectiveness in combating several age-related conditions, including cognitive decline.
But the new study suggests such transplants could someday be used as a therapy to reverse aging and restore older adults’ mental capabilities. The researchers tested the idea with mice and found that fecal transplants from older to younger mice altered their gut microbiome, resulting in an impairment of memory and spatial learning. The team believes that by reversing the procedure, they could change the effects.
Dr. David Vauzour, from UEA, said:
Aging is an inevitable process that starts immediately after birth and ultimately leads to physical health problems as well as a decline in psychological well-being and cognitive function. Research has shown that the aging process may be linked with age-related changes in our gut microbiota.
Recently, the existence of two-way communication between the gut and the brain – known as the ‘gut-brain axis’ – has emerged as an important player in shaping aspects of behavior and cognitive function. We wanted to see whether transferring gut microbes from older to younger mice could affect parts of the central nervous system associated with aging.
Our research shows that fecal transplantation from an old donor to a young recipient causes an age-associated shift in the composition of gut microbiota. The procedure impacted the expression of proteins involved in the hippocampus’s key functions – an important part of the brain that has a vital role in a variety of functions, including memory, learning, and spatial navigation, and emotional behavior and mood. In short, the young mice began to behave like older mice, in terms of their cognitive function.
After the transplantation, the researchers observed the mice for markers such as exploratory behavior, anxiety, and memory. They noticed significant changes in the young’s mice microbial profiles. And while there were no significant changes in markers, the animals did show impaired memory and spatial learning as measured in a maze test. The young mice behaved as old mice.
There were also changes in proteins linked with neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity – both of which influence the nervous system. Furthermore, cells in the hippocampus suffered alterations. That’s the brain region responsible for memory and learning, among other functions.
Prof Claudio Nicoletti, from Italy’s University of Florence, said:
While it remains to be seen whether transplantation from very young donors can restore cognitive function in aged recipients, the findings demonstrate that age-related shifts in the gut microbiome can alter components of the central nervous system. This work highlights the importance of the gut-brain axis in aging. It provides a strong rationale to devise therapies aiming to restore a young-like microbiota to improve cognitive functions and quality of life in the elderly.
What you eat is very important. It can affect your microbiome by either supporting the good or the harmful bacteria. Good gut bacteria have been found to protect the brain and central nervous system. Bad ones, on the other hand, are linked to Multiple Sclerosis and other diseases. Studies have linked a Mediterranean diet and red wine to a healthy gut – and therefore, a healthy body and mind. There’s a 3D printed pill that can scan your gut microbiome if you’re interested.
