Rejuvenating feces
Microflora transplantation helped stop the aging of the eyes and brain in mice
The link between gut bacteria and human health continues to be revealed in many ways, and one of the most exciting is how these microbes can influence various aspects of the aging process. The study not only revealed new facets of this relationship, but also demonstrated how signs of aging of the brain, intestines and eyes can even be reversed with fecal transplants.
It has been shown that the composition of microbial communities in our gut forms many different aspects of our well-being, and we are beginning to really understand how inflammation can play an intermediary role when it comes to cognitive health.
One 2019 study offered some interesting insights in this area, showing that the gut is a source of immune cells that reduce brain inflammation in multiple sclerosis. Later that year, we saw the approval of a drug designed to remodel the gut microbiome in order to reduce neuroinflammation for the treatment of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease. A study conducted in 2020 showed that fecal transplants from old mice to young ones can lead to learning and memory disorders.
The results of a study published in the journal Nature Aging last year provided particularly compelling evidence of the effects of gut bacteria on the brain. The focus has been on brain aging, and it has been shown that fecal transplantation from young mice to old mice can reverse some aspects of age-related brain deterioration, such as learning ability and long-term memory. This was considered one of the first discoveries to how gut bacteria can affect brain aging in mammals.
Recent discoveries in this area have been made by scientists from the Quadram Institute and the University of East Anglia, which further confirmed the idea that intestinal bacteria can affect brain health through inflammation. They simultaneously showed how these microbial communities can influence certain biomarkers of aging not only in the brain, but also in the intestine itself, as well as in the eyes.
The group's research included fecal transplants from healthy young mice to old mice, as well as reverse experiments in which younger mice received feces from older ones. They then analyzed a number of inflammatory biomarkers in animal bodies and were able to draw some valuable conclusions.
After these transplants, young mice had a loss of integrity of the intestinal mucosa, which allowed bacterial products to pass and circulate through the body. This triggered the immune system and, in turn, inflammation, causing over-activation of certain immune cells in the brain and an increase in the level of proteins associated with retinal degeneration in the eyes.
Conversely, scientists have found that these types of markers can be altered in older mice by implanting them with the faeces of young mice. It also boosted levels of healthy bacteria, which have previously been shown to be associated with good health in mice and humans.
"This groundbreaking study provides tantalizing evidence of the direct involvement of gut microbes in aging and functional decline in brain and vision function and offers a potential solution in the form of replacement therapy with gut microbes," said Professor Simon Carding.
Encouraged by the promising results, the scientists note that further work is needed before they can draw the same conclusions about humans, including, of course, human studies. They say that there are similar pathways in our body, and it is known that the intestinal microbiome changes significantly with age, so there are reasons for cautious optimism.
"We were pleased to discover that by changing the gut microbiota of older adults, we can restore the rates of age—related deterioration commonly seen in degenerative eye and brain conditions," said lead author, Dr. Aimee Parker. "Our results provide more evidence. important connections between microbes in the gut and healthy aging of tissues and organs around the body. We hope that our results will eventually help us understand how we can manipulate our diet and gut bacteria to maximize good health later in life."
The study was published in the journal Microbiome (Parker et al., Fecal microbiota transfer between young and aged mice reverses hallmarks of the aging gut, eye, and brain).
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