The Relationship between the Composition of Intestinal Flora and Dementia

Abstract

With the aging process of society, the incidence of dementia is increasing year by year and has become a common disease among the elderly which is prognosed to affect approximately 131 million individuals by 2050. The gut microbiome, as a diverse community of microorganisms, plays a crucial role in maintaining health and well-being. Recent research suggests that the gut microbiome significantly influences the development and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative dementias in the elderly. Interventions targeting the gut microbiome through diet, probiotics, and lifestyle changes may offer promising avenues for preventing these conditions. Aging is associated with specific changes in the gut microbiome composition, including the loss of certain beneficial bacteria at the expense of other potentially pathological microorganisms like Akkermansia and Butyricimonas, which may lead to dysbiosis, which was implicated in various aging-related diseases, including AD. Despite advancements in identifying pathobionts associated with unhealthy aging and disease progression, more research is needed to delineate changes attributable to aging from those due to independent disease processes, nevertheless, some studies suggest that modulating the gut microbiome through diet and probiotic supplementation may have potential in improving health status and reducing rate of neurodegeneration. Especially maintaining a healthy, diverse gut flora through diet and lifestyle may be an important factor in preventing dementia and delaying the progression of aging. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the causal mechanisms linking the gut and brain in neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, this paper aims to present the latest knowledge on gut microbiota changes and their contribution to dementia, proposing strategies for prevention and delaying neurodegenerative processes.