Scientists have identified a potential link between higher education and a reduced risk of intestinal disorders.
The study builds on previous studies that found a genetic link between Alzheimer’s disease (which affects the cognitive functioning of the brain) and gastrointestinal health problems. Science Alert writes about it.
“Bowel disorders and Alzheimer’s disease not only share a common genetic predisposition, but can also be affected by genetic variation that underlies educational success,” says geneticist Simon Lowes of Edith Cowan University in Australia.
The team collected data from 766,345 individuals who participated in genome-wide association studies that examined the association between Alzheimer’s disease, certain cognitive traits, and a range of gut disorders.
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These intestinal disorders include peptic ulcer (PU), gastritis duodenitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
The analysis found “a strong and highly significant inverse global genetic correlation” between cognitive traits and most intestinal disorders, but not for IBD.
Researchers believe this link may be due to exposure to certain parts of the genome. Gene-based analysis also found significant genetic overlaps in cognitive traits with Alzheimer’s disease and gastrointestinal disorders.
This link can even be relatively direct. Using what’s known as Mendelian randomization analysis, researchers have shown that factors such as education and high intelligence can reduce the risk of certain bowel disorders. In addition, the team found some evidence that GERD causes cognitive decline in several ways, including intelligence and educational attainment. This relationship between the gut and the brain may indeed be bidirectional.
“GERD can be a risk factor for cognitive impairment, so it’s important for healthcare professionals to look for signs or symptoms of cognitive dysfunction in patients with bowel disorders,” says geneticist Emmanuel Adewuyi of Edith Cowan University. Scientists recalled numerous previous studies on the gut-brain axis and how it can be controlled. For example, eating healthy foods can potentially reduce stress levels in the brain when the diet is implemented properly. Exactly how this relationship occurs is not yet clear, but the link between our brain and digestive system seems to be one of the strongest, and problems at one end of this chain can cause problems at the other end. The researchers suggest that the results of the study may influence government policy: the data suggest that higher education levels and cognitive thinking somehow influence the likelihood of gut problems.
“The results support education as a possible way to reduce the risk of intestinal disorders, for example, by promoting higher education levels or possibly increasing school time,” says Adewuiyi. Therefore, policy efforts to increase education levels or cognitive training may promote higher intelligence levels, which can lead to better health outcomes, including reduced risk of intestinal disorders.”
Previously Focus He wrote that scientists have come up with a new theory about the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Until now, the formation of amyloid plaques in human brain tissues was considered one of the main causes of serious disease. But a new study suggests the cause is quite different.
Source: Focus
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