Oral bacteria could be ‘detrimental to brain health’, says study

The study, led by the University of Exeter, found that certain bacteria were associated with better memory and attention, while others were linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Joanna L’Heureux, lead author, said, “Our findings suggest that some bacteria might be detrimental to brain health as people age. It raises an interesting idea for performing routine tests as part of dental checkups to measure bacterial levels and detect very early signs of declining brain health.”

Bacteria and brain health

Published in PNAS Nexus, the study recruited 110 participants, over the age of 50 from an online study that tracks the brain health of more than 25,000 middle-aged people in the UK. Researchers split participants into two groups: those with no brain function decline and those showing mild cognitive impairment (MCI).