Antibiotics may stop growth of new brain cells

Alzheimer may be caused by the brain’s defence against bugs

IN THE MEDIA

Taking doses of strong antibiotics may eliminate bacteria in the gut, but according to a new study, these drugs may produce adverse effects on the part of the brain that handles memory. The same research has also identified white blood cells that appear to serve as a link between the immune system, the gut and the brain.

Microbes in the media

It’s a double-edged sword. The protein plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease could be created as our immune system fights off invading microbes. Alzheimer’s disease has long been linked to the accumulation of sticky plaques of proteins in the brain. Microbial infection could be triggering the formation of these plaques.