Hameed Muddsar, Noor Fatima, Hussain Hamza, Khan Raja Gohar, Khattak Haroon Ur Rashid Shahbaz, Haroon Ur Rashid Spogmaye, Atiq Alina, Ali Hassan, Rida Seerat E, Abbasi Mahrukh Anwar
Department of Clinical Psychology, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, PAK.
Department of Internal Medicine, Foundation University Medical College, Islamabad, PAK.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 10;16(7):e64286. doi: 10.7759/cureus.64286. eCollection 2024 Jul.
The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network linking the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system via neuronal, hormonal, and antibody signaling pathways. Central to this connection is gut health, encompassing the balance and functionality of gut microbiota, which significantly impacts on mental and cognitive health. This study investigates the association between gut health and cognitive functioning in adults, highlighting the mechanisms by which gut microbiota influence brain health.
To examine the effects of gut health on adult cognitive performance, with a focus on the processes by which gut microbiota impacts brain health.
A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in Islamabad from January 2024 to April 2024, involving 140 adult participants. Data were collected using a comprehensive 16-item gut health questionnaire and the cognition self-assessment rating scale (C-SARS). The psychometric properties of these scales were assessed, and the data were analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS, v26; IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY). Analytical and descriptive statistics, including regression, chi-square, independent sample t-tests, and mean and standard deviation, were applied.
The study found moderate associations between gut health and cognitive performance, particularly in memory and processing speed (R² = 0.17, β = -1.9, p = 0.12 for general cognition; R² = 0.01, β = -0.98, p = 0.02 for memory; R² = 0.03, β = -0.18, p = 0.03 for processing speed). Gender and marital status differences were significant, with males exhibiting better gut health scores than females (M = 34.1, SD = 3.2 vs. M = 31.2, SD = 3.2, p = 0.00), and singles showing better cognitive performance compared to married individuals (M = 9.4, SD = 5.4 vs. M = 6.5, SD = 3.7, p = 0.03).
The study highlights significant associations between gut health and cognitive functions, suggesting that gut microbiota composition can influence cognitive performance. Gender and marital status differences underscore the need to consider individual differences in gut-brain axis research. Future studies should replicate these findings in larger samples and explore gut microbiota-targeted interventions for cognitive health enhancement.
肠-脑轴是一个双向通信网络，通过神经元、激素和抗体信号通路连接胃肠道和中枢神经系统。这种联系的核心是肠道健康，包括肠道微生物群的平衡和功能，这对心理和认知健康有重大影响。本研究调查了成年人肠道健康与认知功能之间的关联，突出了肠道微生物群影响大脑健康的机制。
研究肠道健康对成年人认知表现的影响，重点关注肠道微生物群影响大脑健康的过程。
2024年1月至2024年4月在伊斯兰堡进行了一项定量横断面研究，涉及140名成年参与者。使用一份包含16个条目的全面肠道健康问卷和认知自我评估量表（C-SARS）收集数据。评估了这些量表的心理测量特性，并使用统计产品与服务解决方案（SPSS，v26；IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows，纽约州阿蒙克）对数据进行分析。应用了分析和描述性统计，包括回归、卡方检验、独立样本t检验以及均值和标准差。
研究发现肠道健康与认知表现之间存在中等程度的关联，尤其是在记忆和处理速度方面（一般认知：R² = 0.17，β = -1.9，p = 0.12；记忆：R² = 0.01，β = -0.98，p = 0.02；处理速度：R² = 0.03，β = -0.18，p = 0.03）。性别和婚姻状况差异显著，男性的肠道健康得分高于女性（M = 34.1，SD = 3.2对M = 31.2，SD = 3.2，p = 0.00），单身者的认知表现优于已婚者（M = 9.4，SD = 5.4对M = 6.5，SD = 3.7，p = 0.03）。
该研究突出了肠道健康与认知功能之间的显著关联，表明肠道微生物群组成可影响认知表现。性别和婚姻状况差异强调了在肠-脑轴研究中考虑个体差异的必要性。未来的研究应在更大样本中重复这些发现，并探索针对肠道微生物群的干预措施以增强认知健康。
