Gut microbes may slow age-related cognitive decline, new review suggests

A review of 15 trials with about 4,275 adults suggests that modulating the gut microbiome through diet, probiotics/prebiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation can modestly improve memory, executive function, and overall cognition in older adults—especially those with early cognitive impairment—though effects are limited in advanced Alzheimer's. Dietary approaches like the Mediterranean diet show promise, FMT shows rapid microbial shifts with some cognitive gains in small Alzheimer’s cases, but long-term safety and efficacy require more randomized trials.