Antibiotics and cognitive decline: Is there a link?Medical News Today
The gut microbiome consists of all the microbes and their genetic material living in our gastrointestinal tract. These microbes include bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The gut microbiome is essential for regulating our internal environment and the function of the immune system. There is two-way communication between the central nervous system and the gut, which is called the gut-brain axis. Scientists believe that the gut-brain axis allows our gut bacteria to influence the brain. The gut microbiome modulates brain development and function throughout our life. There is some evidence that changes to the intestinal microbiome may play a role in developing psychiatric and neurologic conditions, such as depression, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s disease. Antibiotic use can alter microbial gut communities as, by their very nature, they kill bacteria. These changes can last for months or years after exposure. Few studies have examined the subsequent cognitive