BACTERIA that makes YOU SMARTER

Philippines
April 22, 2011 11:21pm CST
I read about this a few months ago while I was trying to find a topic for my undergraduate seminar. So the bacteria's name is Mycobacterium vaccae, which is actually related to the tuberculosis bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. But unlike the latter, M. vaccae, which is found in the soil, can make you smarter! Imagine that! According to the article, people are exposed to the bacteria when they "spend time with nature". Now, what this bacteria does is that it increases a person's level of serotonin, which is a chemical neurotransmitter (chemical substance that sends messages or signals to the brain) that is involved with learning. The bacteria was also found to decrease the levels of anxiety. So how did they find out this cool stuff? Actually, they incorporated the heat-killed bacteria into the food of some mice. Afterwards, they put the mice in the maze. The results showed that these mice were able to navigate through the mice twice as fast as the mice that did not have the bacteria in their diet. COol huh? Also, mice whose diet involved the bacteria showed less anxiety behaviors. Again, how cool is that?? of course, before you eat soil or the bacteria itself you have to wait till further studies are done. So don't eat soil yet! haha. Maybe you can stroll around and be in touch with nature more these days. There's no harm in doing that right? (except maybe you will have a higher chance of having an encounter with a grizzly bear. Ha! just kidding). Who knows? You might just be able to get the A+ you've wanted since the first grade! What do you think?
10 responses
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Wow! It would be great if experts will find a way on how to incoporate those bacteria to humans. Maybe they would put it in energy drinks or supplements. It would be a great help to students and working adults.
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Yes, it certainly will. However, a lot of further studies still have to be made before these can be incorporated with the diet of humans.
@chie03 (49)
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Definitely! We don't want to take in stuff not yet studied as perfectly fit for human consumption =). It would be great though, a big help in the future!
@ofabiania (421)
• Philippines
24 Apr 11
wow! that was really amazing.. this is the first time that i've heard of that kind of bacteria.. is this being tested to humans already? :)
• Philippines
24 Apr 11
I don't think so. I wanted this to be my topic for my undergraduate seminar but unfortunately there weren't enough studies on the internet to be able to make a good paper. :)
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
23 Apr 11
thats cool information.
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Thanks! I was glad to share it with myLotters!
@chinchoy (191)
• Hong Kong
23 Apr 11
I was wondering why the scientists claimed that pigs are more clever than dogs. This could be the reason. After all, pigs have been rolling in the mud for generations.
• Philippines
24 Apr 11
haha.. it could be! anyway, it doesn't matter to me if pigs are more clever than dogs. i still like dogs better!! hahaha. it's easier to make pig sounds though, at least for me..
@chie03 (49)
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Really? I certainly didnt know this! hahaI'd have to get in touch with nature one of these days to help me think clearly. Kidding aside, God definitely created nature for man therefore man should take good care of it! We have yet to discover many wonderful things!!
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Yes Yes! I totally agree with you! We weren't made to be guardians of the earth only to destroy it. :)
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
ha! i like this information!thanks for sharing~ :D
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Sure! It's my pleasure to share it! I hope I can share more in my stay here in myLot!
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
Hmmm...I think I need a dose of that bacteria because my serotonin level is sometimes low (I'm bipolar). Serotonin does help one think more clearly. I think that bacteria is better than Prozac and other antidepressants. It's cheaper, too. All you have to do is dig up some soil in your backyard and maybe plant some vegetables. Maybe this explains why I felt really good when I was into gardening.
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
yep, that's probably it! hehe.. some articles also actually mentioned gardening in connection with these bacteria. aside from that, i think gardening can be pretty cool and fun too. it'd be nice to see the flowers that you planted bloom or see the vegetables grow.
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
23 Apr 11
Hi ohsodianne Now I know one thing for sure - Why I am not that Smart Well, I have no more grades to get but being smarter can help me and many a lot. Any other way I can get to have this bacteria in me - yes, I am not a mouse and dont want to end up being one) - but they all start the tests with mice and the take it on us
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
HEy thesids! Actually, a lot of studies done on mouse don't have similar results with man. That's why before a substance gets tested on humans, it really has to go through several clinical trials. If it every experiment can have the same results on human, a cure to AIDS would've probably been found by now. Anyway thesids, you don't need the bacteria to be smart. I'm betting that you already are. :)
• India
23 Apr 11
yes some bacteria are benificial to us and some are parasitic i agree with this it is well to put thes discussion as a result many people will know about the nature and microbes.
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
yep yep! thanks for commenting! hmm! actually bacteria have a lot more benefits that people may not know about. this one though was record breaking for me.
23 Apr 11
oh no, don't eat soil yet or you might get those helminths. what would happen if you incorporate this bacterium in yakult or market it as probiotic? haha! but i think it would have an effect (be it positive or negative) in our own microflora. you're right, further studies are needed. but this sounds promising.
• Philippines
23 Apr 11
hahaha! nhuks! someone's myLotting! Miss you mon! haha. Hmm. you're talking probiotics now eh? But if this study is really proven, I think incorporating it in yakult or making it a probiotic would really sell.