That’s what researchers at UF/IFAS want to know.

Their study, published in iScience on Tuesday, suggests that specific “good” gut bacteria could contribute to preventing these diseases, said Daniel Czyz, assistant professor in the UF/IFAS department of microbiology and cell science. He conducted the study along with Alyssa Walker, a UF/IFAS postdoctoral scholar, and a team of undergraduate students.

One of the key takeaways from the study is that specific bacteria from the gut microbiome affected the proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The team looked at 229 strains of bacteria to see how they affected these proteins.