Modulating gut microbiota as a strategy for preventing cognitive decline in the elderly
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15195197Keywords:
Gut microbiota, neurological health, mild cognitive impairment, probiotics, dementiaAbstract
The neurological health of the elderly, especially concerning mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and the progression to dementia, has become a growing concern due to the aging population. Dysbiosis, characterized by an imbalance in the gut microbiota, has been associated with several neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to investigate how the modulation of gut microbiota can influence the neurological health of the elderly, focusing on the prevention of MCI progression to dementia. The research was conducted through a narrative literature review, analyzing articles published between 2023 and 2025, which addressed interventions such as specific diets, probiotic supplementation, and complementary therapies like acupuncture. The results showed that the modulation of gut microbiota, through these interventions, has beneficial effects on cognitive function, inflammation reduction, and the promotion of a neuroprotective environment, delaying cognitive decline and preventing progression to dementia. The conclusion points out that, although the interventions show promising results, further studies are needed to deepen the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and assess the long-term effectiveness of these strategies for elderly brain health.
References
FEI, Y. et al. Probiotic intervention benefits multiple neural behaviors in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Geriatric Nursing, [S. l.], v. 51, p. 167-175, 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2023.03.006.
HSU, Y.-C. et al. Efficacy of Probiotic Supplements on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Inflammatory Biomarkers, Oxidative Stress and Cognitive Function in Patients with Alzheimer’s Dementia: A 12-Week Randomized, Double-Blind Active-Controlled Study. Nutrients, [S. l.], v. 16, n. 1, p. 16, dez. 2023. doi: 10.3390/nu16010016.
JUNG, S.-J. et al. Augmenting Cognitive Function in the Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment Using Probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus CBT-LR5: A 12-Week Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Non-Comparative Study. Nutrients, [S. l.], v. 17, p. 691, fev. 2025. doi: 10.3390/nu17040691.
KIM, C.-S.; JUNG, S.; HWANG, G.-S.; SHIN, D.-M. Gut microbiota indole-3-propionic acid mediates neuroprotective effect of probiotic consumption in healthy elderly: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial and in vitro study. Clinical Nutrition, [S. l.], v. 42, p. 1025-1033, abr. 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2023.04.001.
NGUYEN, T. T.; BAUMANN, P.; TÜSCHER, O.; SCHICK, S.; ENDRES, K. The Aging Enteric Nervous System. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, [S. l.], v. 24, n. 11, p. 9471, mai. 2023. doi: 10.3390/ijms24119471.
PURI, S.; SHAHEEN, M.; GROVER, B. Nutrition and cognitive health: A life course approach. Frontiers in Public Health, [S. l.], v. 11, p. 1023907, mar. 2023. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1023907.
YIN, Z.-H. et al. Discovery of the microbiota-gut-brain axis mechanisms of acupuncture for amnestic mild cognitive impairment based on multi-omics analyses: A pilot study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, [S. l.], v. 88, p. 103118, 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2024.103118.
ZHANG, Y. et al. The association between gut microbiota and postoperative delirium in patients. Translational Psychiatry, [S. l.], v. 13, p. 156, 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41398-023-02450-1.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Social Issues and Health Sciences (JSIHS)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
