Bacteroidetes gut bacteria linked to enhanced cognition and language skills in infant boys

Baby boys who had a higher concentration of Bacteroidetes gut microbiota at 1 year of age showed enhanced neurodevelopment and cognitive and language skills 1 year later, according to a new study from the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada). The study, published in Gut Microbes, followed more than 400 infants from the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) Cohort Study, with the finding being specific to male children. “It’s well known that female children score higher (at early ages), especially in cognition and language,” commented study lead Anita Kozyrskyj (University of Alberta). “But when it comes to gut microbial composition, it was...