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Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Oral microbiome diversity shapes the association between leisure-time physical activity and cognitive function among
Yanwei You1,2, Yicong Cui1, Kefeng Zheng1
1Division of Sports Science & Physical Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Abstract:
Regular leisure-time physical activity and the composition of the oral microbiome may influence late-life cognition, but their combined effects are unclear. We studied 575 US adults aged 60-69 years from a nationally representative survey with oral microbiome sequencing, self-reported leisure-time physical activity, and four standard cognitive tests of memory, verbal fluency, and processing speed. Higher weekly physical activity and meeting current guideline levels were associated with better memory and processing speed scores after multivariable adjustment. Greater oral microbiome diversity, including higher richness and evenness, was also related to better processing speed. Among participants who met activity guidelines, those with intermediate to high Shannon diversity and a specific community composition profile showed the most favorable verbal fluency and processing speed. These findings suggest that maintaining both regular physical activity and a diverse oral microbiome may jointly support cognitive function in later life and promote healthy aging.
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