In Washington, researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that the type of bacteria and microbes we have in our guts can affect our brain’s memory function. The experiments gave mice a supplement of Lactobacillus bacteria which is linked to improved brain function in patients with Alzheimer’s and used standard memory tests to see how the mice did before and after the bacteria supplements. They found that mice had “much improved memory,” lead researcher Janet Jansson told Geek Wire.
Researchers found that the bacteria supplements raised the levels of mannitol in the mice and that higher concentrations of GABA, a chemical linked to working memory capacity, was found in the hippocampus, a particular brain region.