‘Tour de force’ mouse study shows a gut microbe can promote memory loss | Science | AAAS

[josefina arce]

A study in Nature suggests that a bacterium common in older animals, Parabacteroides goldsteinii, may contribute to memory loss by producing compounds that impair neuron signaling between the gut and brain. Researchers at Stanford University found that young mice given microbiomes from older mice showed worse memory performance, but antibiotics could reverse this effect. The bacterium releases medium-chain fatty acids that dampen activity along the vagus nerve and reduce hippocampal activity.

https://www.science.org/content/article/tour-de-force-mouse-study-shows-gut-microbe-can-promote-memory-loss