Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection for Preventing Cognitive Decline
“Dementia runs in my family and I’m determined to do whatever I can to reduce my risk. Is there any new research out there that I should be aware of? ”
Dear Prevention is the Best Medicine,
With the growing number of older adults, there is a lot of research being conducted on Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. One of the big recent findings in this area is the “gut-brain connection”. These two organs are connected to each other by the vagus nerve, and scientists are discovering that the health of our brains is closely linked to the health of our gut microbiome.
For example, there is a neurochemical called serotonin which is often referred to as the “feel good hormone”. A whopping 90% of your body’s serotonin receptors are located in the gut. An unhealthy balance of bacteria in the gut can also cause cortisol (the stress hormone) to rise, and high cortisol levels impair our ability to recall long-term memories. Perhaps most tellingly, those living with Alzheimer’s disease have been found to have certain changes in their gut bacteria compared to those without Alzheimer’s.
In short, improving our gut health may one of the most powerful things we can do to keep our brains healthy as we age. Here are some books I recommend for further reading on this topic!
-The Mind-Cut Connection, by Emeran Mayer, MD
-This Is Your Brain on Food, by Uma Naidoo, MD
-Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety, by Drew Ramsey, MD