Cognitive dysfunction, one of the major concerns of increased life expectancy, is prevalent in patients with metabolic disorders. Added to the inflammation in the context of aging (inflammaging), low-grade chronic inflammation (metaflammation) accompanies metabolic diseases. Peripheral and central inflammation underlie metabolic syndrome - related cognitive dysfunction. The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized to be linked to both inflammaging and metaflammation in parallel to the pathophysiology of obesity, type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Microbiota composition, diversity and diverse metabolites have been related to different metabolic features and cognitive traits. The study of different mouse models has contributed to identify characteristic microbiota profiles and shifts in the microbial gene richness in association with cognitive function. Diet, exercise and prebiotics, probiotics or symbiotics significantly influence cognition and changes in the microbiota. Few studies have analyzed the gut microbiota composition in association with cognitive function in humans. Impaired attention, mental flexibility and executive function have been observed in association with a microbiota ecosystem in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Nevertheless, the evidence in humans is still scarce and not causal relationships may be inferred, so larger and long-term studies are required to gain insight into the possible role of microbiota in human cognition.
Keywords: Cognitive dysfunction; Low-grade inflammation; Metabolic disorders; Microbiota.