Tag Archives: Brain health

The Microbiome and Brain Health: Is there a Connection?

April 22, 2015

A4M World Congress Research is emerging and providing an understating for the ways in which bacteria living in the human gut—the gut microbiota—communicate with and influence brain health. The concept of a faulty “gut/brain axis” has been associated with various neurologic and psychiatric outcomes and is thought to be explained, at least in part, by immune dysfunction and inflammation triggered by poor gut health.

On Friday, May 8th keynote presenter David Perlmutter, MD will present cutting edge research and patient case examples on the importance of understanding the gut/brain axis and prescribing a healthy patient protocol for optimal outcome and prevention of further triggers that might include organs systems or immunological responses.

This one-of-a-kind academic event gives you premier access to top experts and medical pioneers in the fields of personalized and lifestyle medicine.

FULL CONFERENCE AGENDA

…And we have more! Workshops, sessions and lectures focused on the impact of gut microbiome and digestive health

Thursday, May 7
Pre Conference Workshop    |   7:30a – 5:30p
The Emerging Science and Role for the Microbiome for Health

Thursday, May 8
Afternoon Session    |   1:00a – 4:00p
Microbiome Diversity & Targeted Probiotics for Enhancing Health Outcomes

Thursday, May 9
Afternoon Session    |   1:00a – 4:00p
Microbiome Diversity & Targeted Probiotics for Enhancing Health Outcomes

Learn More      Register

Physical Activity Keeps White Matter in Shape

November 4, 2014

White matter tracts enable communication between areas of the brain, but like the rest of the body, they decline with age. However, research suggests that staying active may help to preserve the integrity of these tracts. Agnieszka Burzynska, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Illinois, and colleagues used accelerometers to track physical activity in 88 healthy but “low-fit” participants aged 60 to 78. Results showed that older adults who engaged more often in light physical activity had greater structural integrity in the white-matter tracts of the temporal lobes, which play a key role in memory, language, and the processing of visual and auditory information. Conversely, those who spent more time sitting had lower structural integrity in the white-matter tracts connecting the hippocampus. “This relationship between the integrity of tracts connecting the hippocampus and sedentariness is significant even when we control for age, gender and aerobic fitness,” said Burzynska. “It suggests that the physiological effect of sitting too much, even if you still exercise at the end of the day for half an hour, will have a detrimental effect on your brain.”

Burzynska AZ, Chaddock-Heyman L, Voss MW, et al. Physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness are beneficial for white matter in low-fit older adults. PLoS One. 2014 Sep 17;9(9):e107413.  For more visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-09/uoia-slp091614.php