Purpose: The gut microbiome has been linked to cognitive function and appears to worsen with aging. Probiotic supplementation has been found to improve the health of the gut microbiome. As such, it is possible that probiotic supplementation may protect the aging brain. The current study examined the cognitive benefits of probiotic supplementation (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) in healthy middle-aged and older adults.
Materials and Methods: The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Two hundred community-dwelling adults aged 52– 75 were enrolled (mean age=64.3, SD=5.52). A three-month intervention involved daily consumption of probiotic or placebo. Independent sample t-tests, chi-squared tests, and repeated measure ANOVAs compared groups and examined changes over time. Primary outcome was change in NIH Toolbox Total Cognition Score from baseline to follow-up.
Results: A total of 145 participants were examined in primary analyses (probiotic=77, placebo=68) and excluded persons due to discontinuation, low adherence, missing data, or outlier values. Established criteria (ie ≥ 1 subtest t-scores ≤ 35; n=19, n=23) were used to operationally define cognitive impairment. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed that persons with cognitive impairment who consumed probiotics exhibited a greater total cognition score improvement than persons with cognitive impairment in the placebo group and cognitively intact persons in probiotic or placebo groups.
Conclusion: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG probiotic supplementation was associated with improved cognitive performance in middle-aged and older adults with cognitive impairment. Probiotic supplementation may be a novel method for protecting cognitive health in aging.

Keywords: cognitive aging, dementia, microbiota, gastrointestinal microbiome, probiotics


中文翻译：

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随机临床试验研究补充鼠李糖乳杆菌 GG 益生菌对中老年人认知功能的影响

目的：肠道微生物组与认知功能有关，并且似乎随着年龄的增长而恶化。研究发现补充益生菌可以改善肠道微生物组的健康。因此，补充益生菌可能可以保护衰老的大脑。目前的研究探讨了补充益生菌（鼠李糖乳杆菌GG）对健康中老年人的认知益处。
材料和方法：该研究是一项双盲、安慰剂对照、随机临床试验。200 名 52-75 岁的社区居民被纳入研究（平均年龄 = 64.3，SD = 5.52）。为期三个月的干预包括每天食用益生菌或安慰剂。独立样本t检验、卡方检验和重复测量方差分析比较各组并检查随时间的变化。主要结果是 NIH 工具箱总认知评分从基线到随访的变化。
结果：共有 145 名参与者接受了主要分析（益生菌 = 77，安慰剂 = 68），并排除了因停药、依从性低、数据缺失或异常值而导致的人员。既定标准（即 ≥ 1 个子测试 t 分数≤ 35；n=19，n=23）用于操作性定义认知障碍。重复测量方差分析显示，服用益生菌的认知障碍患者比安慰剂组中的认知障碍患者以及益生菌组或安慰剂组中认知功能完好的患者表现出更大的总认知得分改善。
结论：补充 鼠李糖乳杆菌GG 益生菌与患有认知障碍的中老年人认知能力的改善相关。补充益生菌可能是保护衰老过程中认知健康的一种新方法。

关键词：认知衰老、痴呆、微生物群、胃肠道微生物组、益生菌