Loading...
That “commensal” gut bacteria might influence our health was implausible 20 years ago; today, this idea is accepted widely. The gut also contains viruses, primarily bacteriophages, that infect gut bacteria — might they also affect our health?
In a new study, researchers examined both gut bacteria and viruses among 114 people who were followed prospectively and who underwent serial cognitive testing. Participants with higher levels of the bacteriophage Caudovirales performed better on various tests of executive function and memory. Participants with higher levels of Microviridae performed worse on these tests. These findings were confirmed in another group of 942 people. When feces from humans with high levels of Caudovirales were transplante…