Can bacteria make us smarter?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Our gut contains “good” bacteria called microbiota! They help break down our lunch into essential nutrients. The more bacteria in our microbiota, the healthier we are! But wait, there’s more!
Premysl Bercik and team at McMaster University in Canada examined mice with healthy microbiota. They compared brain chemicals that improved cognition to mice with or without diverse microbiomes.
And? Mice with more diverse microbiota had higher levels of a chemical called Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor. This chemical is essential for brain function and development. As a result, mice navigated a dark room faster and explored more!
A happy gut leads to a sharper mind. These inquisitive mice give a whole new meaning to the term brain food!
Reference: Bercik P, Denou E, Collins J, Jackson W, Lu J, Jury J, Deng Y, Blennerhassett P, Macri J, McCoy KD, Verdu EF, Collins SM. The intestinal microbiota affect central levels of brain-derived neurotropic factor and behavior in mice. Gastroenterology. 2011 Aug;141(2):599-609, 609.e1-3. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2011.04.052. Epub 2011 Apr 30. PMID: 21683077.