The Amazing Reason for Memory Decline in Old Age Revealed 0 11

Scientists from Hiroshima University have shown that tooth loss itself can accelerate memory decline — even with a proper diet. A study on aging mice, published in the journal Archives of Oral Biology (AOB), found that animals that lost their molars performed worse on memory tasks, despite having the same diet as the control group.

In the experiment, mice were divided into groups with normal and reduced protein content in their diet, as well as those with removed and preserved teeth. After six months, it was the loss of teeth, rather than protein deficiency, that emerged as the key factor in cognitive decline. This highlights the importance of chewing activity for brain function.

Analysis of brain tissue confirmed the behavioral results: mice with tooth loss exhibited increased inflammatory processes and signs of neuronal death in the hippocampus — an area critically important for memory formation. A low-protein diet had a much more limited impact, affecting only specific areas.

The authors note that reduced chewing activity may trigger adverse neurobiological processes. In the long term, this suggests that maintaining or restoring chewing function — for example, through prosthetics — could become one of the accessible ways to slow cognitive decline in old age.