Abstract
Animal experiments and small clinical studies support a role for the gut microbiota in cognitive functioning. Few studies have investigated gut microbiota and cognition in large community samples. To examine associations of gut microbial composition with measures of cognition in an established population-based study of middle-aged adults. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the prospective Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort in 4 US metropolitan centers between 2015 and 2016. Data were analyzed in 2019 and 2020. Stool DNA were sequenced, and the following gut microbial measures were gathered: (1) β-diversity (between-person) derived with multivariate principal coordinates analysis; (2) α-diversity (within-person), defined as richness (genera count) and the Shannon index (integrative measure of genera richness and evenness); and (3) taxonomy (107 genera, after filtering). Cognitive status was assessed using 6 clinic-administered cognitive tests: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Rey-Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Stroop, category fluency, and letter fluency. A global score measure derived using principal components analysis was also assessed; the first principal component explained 56% of variability. Microbiome data were available on 597 CARDIA participants; mean (SD) age was 55.2 (3.5) years, 268 participants (44.7%) were men, and 270 (45.2%) were Black. In multivariable-adjusted principal coordinates analysis, permutational multivariate analysis of variance tests for β-diversity were statistically significant for all cognition measures (principal component analysis, P = .001; MoCA, P = .001; DSST, P = .001; RAVLT, P = .001; Stroop, P = .007; category fluency, P = .001) with the exception of letter fluency (P = .07). After adjusting for sociodemographic variables (age, race, sex, education), health behaviors (physical activity, diet, smoking, medication use), and clinical covariates (body mass index, diabetes, hypertension), Barnesiella was positively associated with the first principal component (β, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.08-0.24), DSST (β, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.35-2.00), and category fluency (β, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.31-0.87); Lachnospiraceae FCS020 group was positively associated with DSST (β, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.10-4.23), and Sutterella was negatively associated with MoCA (β, -0.27; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.11). In this cross-sectional study, microbial community composition, based on β-diversity, was associated with all cognitive measures in multivariable-adjusted analysis. These data contribute to a growing body of literature suggesting that the gut microbiota may be associated with cognitive aging, but must be replicated in larger samples and further researched to identify relevant pathways.
Highlights
Communication pathways between gut bacteria and neurologic function have emerged as a novel area of research into potential mechanisms regulating brain health[1,2] through immunologic, metabolic, and endocrine pathways.[3,4] Several studies have shown associations between gut microbial measures and neurological outcomes, including cognitive function and dementia
Microbiome data were available on 597 Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) participants; mean (SD) age was 55.2 (3.5) years, 268 participants (44.7%) were men, and 270 (45.2%) were Black
In multivariable-adjusted principal coordinates analysis, permutational multivariate analysis of variance tests for β-diversity were statistically significant for all cognition measures with the exception of letter fluency (P = .07)
Summary
Communication pathways between gut bacteria and neurologic function (referred to as the “gutbrain axis”) have emerged as a novel area of research into potential mechanisms regulating brain health[1,2] through immunologic, metabolic, and endocrine pathways.[3,4] Several studies have shown associations between gut microbial measures and neurological outcomes, including cognitive function and dementia. Few community-based studies have been conducted with large and diverse populations
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