An Italian study, carried out under the supervision of Professor Patrizia Brigidi of the University of Bologna, investigated the interesting but relatively unexplored relationship between longevity and the microbiota. In fact, while we know a lot about the microbiota of infants and adults, few have investigated the microbiota profile of much older adults.
“Using metagenomic analysis, we studied the faeces of centenarians and semi-supercentenarians, able to reach the extreme limits of the life span” commented Patrizia Brigidi.
The study is an important step towards understanding the processes regulating the microbiota from the beginning to the end of life. It also allows us to take one more step towards the development of the so-called next-generation probiotics, introduced by Antonio Gasbarrini in this interview.
