Oral microbiome study links mouth bacteria to cognitive performance

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and Vrije Universiteit Brussel suggests a potential link between the composition of the oral microbiome and cognitive performance.

By analyzing saliva and tongue swabs from 60 non-smoking adults in the United Kingdom and Belgium, researchers compared bacterial concentrations with results from memory, attention, and processing speed tests. The findings indicated that individuals with higher concentrations of the bacterium ‘Prevotella histicola’ demonstrated faster reaction times during specific tasks.

Additionally, the bacterium ‘Haemophilus parainfluenzae’ showed varied correlations. In the Belgian cohort, its presence was associated with improved emotional recognition, visual learning, and working memory accuracy. The study involved both younger participants in their twenties and older participants aged 60 to 70.