Microbiome and Dementia

By now you probably already know that humans are composed of a Genome (chromosomes and genes); an Epigenome (everything that is not genetics); a Virome (all the viruses in your body, some ”good” and some “bad”); and your Microbiome (all the bacteria and other organisms in your body, some beneficial and some harmful). It is beginning to appear that the bacteria in your “gut” are way more important than previously thought. According to David Brownstein, M.D., researchers in Japan found that individuals with dementia had a very different gastrointestinal microbiome compared with dementia-free older adults. This raises questions about the role of “bad gut bacteria” not only in dementia but also with an increased risks for other conditions such as obesity, asthma, and type 1 Diabetes.