Stanford Scientists Reverse Age-Related Memory Loss by Targeting the Gut

20 days ago

Aging alters gut bacteria in mice, which weakens vagus nerve signaling between the intestines and brain, leading to memory decline.
Restoring gut-brain communication via vagus nerve stimulation improved memory in older mice to levels seen in young mice.
The gut microbiome changes with age, with increased Parabacteroides goldsteinii linked to inflammation and reduced hippocampal activity.
Shared housing experiments showed young mice exposed to old microbiomes performed worse on memory tests, while antibiotics reversed cognitive decline in these mice.
Researchers propose a pathway: gut aging → microbial/metabolic changes → immune inflammation → impaired vagus nerve signaling → memory decline.
The study suggests peripheral interventions targeting the gut could preserve cognitive function, with potential clinical applications for age-related cognitive decline.

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