Forging the microbiome to help us live long and prosper

Aging is often accompanied by an increased risk of an array of diseases spanning the cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems, among others. Despite remarkable progress in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in aging, the role of the microbiome remains understudied. In this Essay, we highlight recent progress towards understanding if and how the microbiome contributes to aging and age-associated diseases. Furthermore, we discuss the need to consider sexually dimorphic phenotypes in the context of aging and the microbiome. We also highlight the broad implications for this emerging area of interdisciplinary research to address long-standing questions about host-microbiome interactions across the life span.

Automated summary

Aging is associated with increased risk of diseases and the role of the microbiome in aging is understudied. This Essay highlights recent progress in understanding the contribution of the microbiome to aging and age-associated diseases. The need to consider sexually dimorphic phenotypes and the broad implications for interdisciplinary research are also discussed.