What Im about to tell you is a story of mice and men, but not quite the way John Steinbeck envisioned it. No, unlike your English class, the musing currently sitting inside my skull is definitely part of the hear-me-out variety. My thought goes like this: when my future children are looking at old folks homes for me, maybe Ill be wishing I got my intestines pumped with the excrement of a teenager.
Now, stay with meIm begging youbecause Im talking about a new scientific innovation here. And yes, for once, it is as weird as it sounds. Thats right, the future includes faeces. Who wouldve thunk it? Well, scientists have long known about the secret strength found within the metropolis of trillions of bacteria in your tummy. Known as the gut microbiome, this goldmine is also central to mental health, the immune system, and more. And now, an unusual study has opened the door for a mind-blowing new strategy for researchers to turn back time and reverse ageing in the human brain.
Published in the journal Nature Aging in October 2021, research indicates that bacteria in young peoples poop could be the key to the, as of now, unavoidable shrinking of the brain. Before you click off in horror, allow me to explain how the team behind the research stumbled upon this incredibly odd discovery.
Although Jeff Bezos has been on the quest for immortality for quite a while now, most of us dont think about brain ageing at all. Our society is unfortunately focused on the more cosmetic threats to our finite existence. Not everyone is eager to start looking older, contrary to what our love for vintage fits seems to say about us and gen Zs affinity with disposable pictures. We are constantly spinning the wheel with our body image and appearance as we age, but god forbid we ever end up looking old. Imagined wrinkles and insecurities around laugh lines dominate conversations and common knowledge around anti-ageing. The results of this have led to some extreme efforts to keep our clutch on youth close, from vampire facials to baby Botox.
But lets forget physical appearance for a minute. I think the most Ive done to combat the inevitable decline in my abilities was to play a few rounds of brain training aged 10, feigning surprise when I got any age under 65. But what will happen when Im actually 65, and it might be too late? Unlike with our skin, there is no magic cream to slap onto your skull in an attempt at reversing the ageing of the human brain. Your brain health is probably a lot more important to keep track of since a shrinking brainwhich happens as you get oldercan negatively impact your thinking, learning and memory. Being a brain teaser buff and stocking up on your sudoku puzzles can delay cognitive decline but, unfortunately, none of us is Peter Pan and the cost of growing up is entropy.
First of all, let me start by clarifying one thing: this research is not the fountain of youth or anythingthough for some fulvic acid might be. The research has found that older mice, when given gut bacteria transplants from younger mice, show learning and memory abilities similar to those of the younger rodents. To put it plainly, a cocktail of gut goopor poo transplant as co-author John Cryan told Inverseappeared to reverse some of their brains decline.
Researchers transplanted faeces from three-to-four-month-old rodents into the intestines of 19 or 20 month-old mice to cultivate a similar gut microbiome. On a human scale, this would be like taking the ripe poop of an 18-year-old and transplanting it into the body of a 70-year-old. Pretty grim mental image, yet pretty impressive possibilities, right?
In the old mice, the transplanted faecal bacteria seemingly promoted the growth of gut microbiota resembling the younger mices microbiome. The results of the study found that the mice who had the faecal transplant were able to reach a specific goal with greater success than mice without it. This indicates that certain gut bacteria could influence cognitive functions, which tend to decline in efficiency over time as organisms get older.
Like a new lease of life, the older rodents spatial memorywhich holds information needed to plan routeschanged following the transplant using a simple test called the Morris water maze. The older mice, both with and without the faecal transplant, were placed in a water maze that required them to use their spatial memory to plan and follow a path in order to get to a dry platform.
After saying RIP to the research-rat-pack and decapitating the rodents, researchers looked inside the brains of the older mice to see if their behavioural improvements were reflected in their neurobiology. They found that the old mices hippocampusa brain region responsible for memoryresembled that of younger mice.
Marcus Bhme, a neuroscientist with University College Cork (UCC) and one of the authors of the study, shared with Inverse, It was really great to see that full change in their microbiomes can really excel such effects on cognitive behavior, like almost resembling the learning performance of young mice, it was pretty mind-blowing.
I, like many others, yearn for that happy-go-lucky state of mind. The appeal of it lies within being free and childlike, a desire that has previously pushed many on TikTok to try to talk to their younger selves. Grappling with our short time on Earth is difficult to say the least. In order to understand how much of a medical marvel this research is, we need to take a step back and see the bigger picture here. Our brains are as beautiful as they are complex. Many areas orchestrate complicated cognitive processes, such as problem-solving, memory, judgment, and language.
At the centre of a lot of these processes, is the frontal cortex of your brain. Think of it as the command control of all your brains networks which takes care of managing everything that has to do with learning and memory processing. As mentioned earlier, the helpful hippocampus works to form and store memories. However, as we age, these regions slowly start to shrink.
Age is a bummer, in more ways than one since ageing also entails the decreased production of the dream team of chemical messengers in the braindopamine and serotonin. These are some of the many reasons for older adults forgetfulness, trouble remembering names, and inability to multitask. Or the age-old mystery affecting every adult alive, the one that not even Sherlock Holmes could crack: the case of the pesky missing keys.
Now, dont get excited just yet, as even the researchers behind the study assure that it only represents a new insight into how the human brain works. And these latest results actually fall in line with what we already knew about our trusty guts. For example, another studycompleted by researchers at the Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyopublished earlier this year in Nature, found that people who live to be older than 100 have a specific set of gut microbiomes that could potentially shield us against age-related diseases and infections.
Research into the special bacterial strains gets us closer and closer to creating anti-ageing treatments for the future. Until then, try to realise that you dont need a young brain to be young yourself. Im just saying, its never too late to get that lower back tattoo.
Follow this link:
Unorthodox gut study reveals poop may be able to reverse ageing in the brain - Screen Shot
- Here's What You Should Know About Stem Cell Beauty Products - Who What Wear - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- After Death Dangles Answers to the Only Important Question - The Stream - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Igniting Hope conference aims to end race-based health disparities ... - University at Buffalo - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- 10 Best Horror Anime on Crunchyroll - Screen Rant - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- 10 Flowers That Represent Freedom - AZ Animals - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Demon Slayer: What is Muzan's illness? Explained - Sportskeeda - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Enterprise's Archer Copied Picard's Star Trek: Insurrection Romance - Screen Rant - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Anemone Flowers: Meaning, Symbolism, and Proper Occasions - AZ Animals - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- The billion-dollar search for immortality - UnHerd - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Should Medicine Still Bother With Eponyms? - The New York Times - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Immortality: A Love Story - Plugged In - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Harvard morgue scandal: The history of selling body parts - The Boston Globe - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Imbibe yoga in its true spirit on the International Yoga Day - Daily Pioneer - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Everything you need to know about Nick Fury as Secret Invasion arrives - Yahoo Entertainment - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Some Interesting Facts On The Hindu Epic Ramayana - The Movie Blog - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- Will AI Become Our New Gods? - Answers In Genesis - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- There's food growing in The Woodlands. Here's how to forage for it ... - Houston Chronicle - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- One Piece: Op-Op Fruit is the source of Imus immortality - Dexerto - June 24th, 2023 [June 24th, 2023]
- King Charles III's Coronation at the Convergence of Policy ... - JURIST - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Ancient Greek healing temple in Trikala to be restored - The Greek Herald - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- The long and short of telomere rejuvenation | Opinion - Chemistry World - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Is there a solution to the puzzle that is cancer? The fundamental ... - Sciencenorway - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- The Week In Russia: Theater Of War - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- No. 788: Hi, Mom were getting ready for your big day with dirty ... - Innovate Long Island - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Star Trek: Who Is The Oldest Human? - GameRant - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Sabbaticals: A Gateway to Reimagining Health - Non Profit News - Nonprofit Quarterly - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Florence Nightingale birth anniversary: The Lady with the Lamp who founded modern nursing during Crimean War - News9 LIVE - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- Defence Secretary oral statement on war in Ukraine - GOV.UK - May 12th, 2023 [May 12th, 2023]
- TOM UTLEY: Mrs U and I are better prepared for the end. But scientists say we might live to 122! - Daily Mail - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Eddie Jones reveals NRL legend Andrew Johns was on the verge of a shock code switch in 2005 - Daily Mail - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- The debauched world of Ozzy Osbourne - biting bats to Sharon finding him in bed with the nanny - Daily Mail - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- 6 Benefits of Reishi Mushroom (Plus Side Effects and Dosage) - Healthline - December 23rd, 2022 [December 23rd, 2022]
- Alchemy - Wikipedia - December 23rd, 2022 [December 23rd, 2022]
- Emily Dickinson - Poems, Quotes & Death - Biography - December 23rd, 2022 [December 23rd, 2022]
- Alexis Carrel - Wikipedia - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- Medicine MBChB - University Of Worcester - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Republic of Florence - Wikipedia - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Taoist sexual practices - Wikipedia - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Herbal medicine - Wikipedia - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Aubrey de Grey - Wikipedia - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Greek language - Wikipedia - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Gynostemma pentaphyllum - Wikipedia - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- Lingzhi (mushroom) - Wikipedia - October 23rd, 2022 [October 23rd, 2022]
- The Hayflick Limit: Why Every Human Can Live Up to 125 Years - History of Yesterday - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Downtown Lecture Series, now in 10th year, will focus on sexualities - University of Arizona News - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Scent of Wind Review: A Simple Tale of Kindness From Iran Echoes the Countrys Masters - Yahoo Entertainment - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Proxy voting rises when Congress usually flies in and out of town, analysis finds - Oil City Derrick - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Keith Simpson reviews 'Boris Johnson: The Rise and Fall of a Troublemaker at Number 10' - PoliticsHome - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Disney+ Releases Official Trailer for the Original Series Limitless with Chris Hemsworth from National Geographic - Yahoo Finance - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- True Fathers Resist the Holy Father - OnePeterFive - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Targeted-sequence of normal urothelium and tumor of patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer | Scientific Reports - Nature.com - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Cheers and Jeers: Thursday - Daily Kos - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- North Korea tells officials that 350,000 people died of diseases this year - Radio Free Asia - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- New York: World War II: Inventive Report An interactive presentation of how, without real danger, the - Game News 24 - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Soma (drink) - Wikipedia - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Lavish Qin Shi Huang Tomb Built for Immortality - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- The Four Directions & Medicine Wheel of Native Americans - Gaia - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Kanye, Selena Gomez have bipolar disorder. Why is there a stigma? - USA TODAY - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Forrest Bess Was a Fisherman by Day and Painter of Wild Visions by Night. A New Show Explores His Legacy - artnet News - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- 'Star Wars': 9 Force Powers Used Only by The Jedi - We Got This Covered - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- The CIA has invested in wooly mammoth resurrection technology and nobody knows why - Daily Star - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Here's why we age - Hindustan Times - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Blind mystic Baba Vanga's five predictions for 2023 - from end of births to nuclear disaster - Irish Mirror - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- President Biden Says Covid-19 Pandemic is Over in the US - Slashdot - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Immortality a possibility? This jellyfish could have the answer - Ohmymag - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- Early Puberty Resulting From Excessive Smartphone Screen Time? Here's What This Study Found - Forbes - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- Godard's assisted suicide - not an option everywhere - SWI swissinfo.ch - SWI swissinfo.ch in English - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- Akudaaya: Tinubu, Abacha and Shettima's Theory of Ruthless Leadership -By Festus Adedayo - Opinion Nigeria - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- On The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, a hard rains a-gonna fall - The A.V. Club - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- The longevity diet: Lots of beans and periodic fasts slow ageing - The New Daily - September 17th, 2022 [September 17th, 2022]
- The Real Effects Aloe Vera Has On Your Body - Health Digest - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Its Time To Rethink the Origins of Pain - Scientific American - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Queen Elizabeth II: Celebrities send well-wishes as world waits for update on health - The Independent - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- The Moon: Earths Eighth Continent to This Jellyfish is Immortal (Planet Earth Report) - The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- This president was shot in the back, but the doctors are the ones who killed him - Salon - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- As The Royal Family Deals With Devastating Racism Accusations From Meghan Markle, 96-Year-Old Queen Elizabeth II Now Under Extensive Medical Care as... - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- To quit or not to quit: The hardest question for sporting greats - Deccan Herald - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- OND: Harvest moon, climate refugees, wall wind turbine, JWST and more - Daily Kos - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- 10 Fantasy Shows Like Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power You Should Check Out - /Film - September 11th, 2022 [September 11th, 2022]
- Jared Kushner is keeping fit because he thinks he might live forever - Business Insider - August 27th, 2022 [August 27th, 2022]