A strange landscape appears on the front page of New Scientist. It is populated by bacteria, viruses, fungi… We have known for around twenty years that a microbiome of this type occupies our insides. But recently, we have realized that microbes are also present in our brain. It is this still unknown territory that the British weekly invites us to explore this week.
“There is growing interest in microbial communities in the brain, can we read in the article in the spotlight of this September 28 edition. Our gray matter is actually overflowing with bacteria, viruses and fungal organisms, and better understanding this unsuspected microbiome offers a great chance of preventing neurodegenerative diseases.”
A growing body of research suggests that dementia may result from an increase in microbial load in the brain as we age. “In our youth, the immune system is strong enough to prevent too many of these organisms from reaching our neuronal tissues. With age, on the other hand, our defenses weaken – a process called ‘immunsenescence’ – and allow certain microbes to escape. explains the magazine.
What if they helped us think?
We don’t know exactly how these microbes end up in our brains, and several hypotheses have been put forward. But what matters most to some researchers is what they do there. Are they entirely responsible for diseases like Alzheimer’s? And in this case, can we target them to prevent the disease from developing? Are they only harmful? “After all, some gut microbes aid digestion, so it is possible that others in the brain contribute to analysis and reasoning,” points out New Scientist.
While waiting for research to shed full light on the role of this brain microbiome, the discovery of its involvement in neurodegenerative diseases already suggests new potential treatments. This completely new field of study should enable great advances in the years to come. To be continued.