Researchers examined how various interventions—from diet to probiotics and gut microbiota transplantation—affect brain function.
The state of the gut microbiota may play a key role in reducing cognitive functions and the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This conclusion was reached by scientists who analyzed 15 clinical studies involving more than 4,200 people. The results of the work were published in the journal Nutrition Research (NR).
Researchers examined how various interventions—from diet to probiotics and gut microbiota transplantation—affect brain function. It turned out that improving the composition of gut bacteria is associated with enhanced memory, faster thinking, and overall cognitive function, especially in people with early impairments.
The most pronounced effect was observed with dietary changes and the use of probiotics, as well as with microbiota transplantation. These approaches increased the diversity of beneficial bacteria, boosted the production of substances that protect the brain, and reduced inflammation—one of the factors that impair cognitive abilities.
The authors emphasize that such interventions are most effective in the early stages. In already developed forms of dementia, their impact was found to be limited. Nevertheless, the results indicate that working with gut microbiota may become a promising direction for slowing age-related cognitive decline.
