These 3 Gut Bacteria Could Contribute To Dementia Risk, Study Finds

The concept of the gut-brain axis sure sounds complicated, and it kind of is. But new science continues to demystify it piece by piece.

In this study, scientists at Nagoya University in Japan analyzed the gut bacteria of people living with Parkinson’s disease. Some participants also had dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

Lewy bodies are abnormal deposits in the brain that affect thinking, memory, and overall cognitive function. A certain subset of people with Parkison’s develop DLB, but doctors are not yet able to predict who will and why.

Researchers found three bacteria, in particular, to be associated with DLB. They found that patients with DLB had an increase in the genera Collinsella and Ruminococcus and a decrease in the genus Bifidobacterium. This finding could prove helpful for the prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease and the associated DLB.

"The presence of intestinal bacteria unique to DLB may explain why some patients develop Parkinson's disease and others develop DLB first," Dr. Kinji Ohno, M.D., Ph.D., a lead researcher on the study, said in a press release. "Normalizing the abnormal bacteria shared between DLB and Parkinson's disease may delay the development of both diseases."

This study joins a growing field of research on the gut-brain axis and its effect on long-term health and brain function. A disrupted microbiome can cause upset stomach, bloating, gas, and constipation, as well as contribute to more serious diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia (though there is a lot left to learn about the link between gut bacteria and cognitive decline).

And unfortunately, it seems that the modern human (that’s you!) is more prone to a disrupted microbiome than ever before. Antibiotic use2, disrupted sleep, processed foods, sterile environments, and stress are all factors that can throw off our biomes.

Sure, you can't avoid stress entirely or commit to getting perfect sleep every night for the rest of your life, but there are plenty of small things you can do. These small things will add up to big changes when it comes to supporting your microbiome—and ultimately your gut-brain axis.