Research: Scientists have identified species of gut bacteria linked to enhanced cognition in baby boys

Quick Summary: If infant boys have higher levels of Bacteroidetes in their gut composition, those boys have more advanced cognitive and language skills one year later. This is compared to boys with lower levels of the bacteria.

Wow. This is so interesting. Another really fascinating piece of the puzzle highlighting how gut bacteria could be really important for neurodevelopment.

Infant girls are more likely to have higher proportions of a gut bacteria species called Bacteroidetes. Infant girls also tend to score higher (at early stages) when it comes to cognition and language.

Now new research by Tamana SK et al., (2021) finds that if infant boys have higher levels of Bacteroidetes in their gut composition, those boys have more advanced cognitive and language skills one year later. This is compared to boys with lower levels of the bacteria.

One of the study team is Professor Anita Kozyrskyj, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta and the principal investigator of the SymBIOTA (Synergy in Microbiota) laboratory.

Dr Kozyrskyj is also featured in our Microbirth film and is one of the 11 professors featured in our Infant Microbiome & Epigenetics online course.