In a recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging , researchers determined the association between the oral microbiome and cognition among older United States (US) adults. Study: Association of the oral microbiome with cognitive function among older adults: NHANES 2011–2012 . Image Credit: ESB Professional / Shutterstock Cognitive impairment and dementia are serious health challenges in aging populations, with dementia defined as a gradual loss of cognition function.
Identifying risk factors related to cognitive impairment is critical for lowering the dementia burden. Previous research has revealed a link between the gut microbiome and cognition performance, with the mouth cavity housing the second-largest microbial population in humans. However, the effect of the oral microbiota on cognition remains unknown.
Oral microbial communities are crucial to physiological and immunological activities such as ambient chemical processing and detoxification, immune system maintenance, and disease prevention. Small-scale clinical investigations on the relationship between the oral microbiome and Alzheimer's disease have produced inconsistent results, with some reporting lower oral microbial diversity in AD patients and others not. In the present study, researchers investigated whether oral microbes are associated with cognition function among adults aged 60 to 69.
The team analyzed the 2011–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cross-.