Tu Jiayu, Zhang Jun, Chen Gang
Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Front Aging Neurosci. 2025 Mar 28;17:1522498. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1522498. eCollection 2025.
Studies indicate that butyrate can enhance memory and cognitive functions in mice by inhibiting neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis. Elevated fecal butyrate levels in older individuals with mild cognitive impairment correlate with reduced levels of Aβ-42, an Alzheimer's disease biomarker. This study investigated the relationship between butyrate consumption and cognitive performance in older adults, which remains to be elucidated.
This study employed a cross-sectional, observational design to analyze data gathered from 2,078 participants enrolled in the 2011-2014 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Butyrate intake was determined based on two 24-h dietary assessments. To evaluate cognitive function, three tests were administered: the Animal Fluency Test (AFT) to assess executive function, the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) for measuring processing speed, and the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease (CERAD) subtest for assessing memory. Z scores were computed for each test and overall cognitive performance. Multivariate linear regression models and a generalized additive model (GAM) were used to examine the correlation between butyrate consumption and mental functions. Finally, subgroup analyses and interaction tests were used to verify the robustness of the associations.
The NHANES study encompasses two surveys conducted between 2011 and 2014 that involved 2,078 participants aged 60 years or older. Higher dietary butyrate consumption had a positive correlation between superior performance on DSST, AFT, CERAD-Immediate Recall Test, and Z scores. The participants in the upper quartile of butyrate intake had significantly higher DSST ( = 1.60, 95% CI: 0.04-3.17), AFT scores ( = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.37-1.60), and Z scores ( = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01-0.17) than individuals in the lowest quartile even after adjusting for potential confounders. Finally, no notable interactions were observed within the groupings. Finally, in subgroup analyses, BMI was found to influence the positive association between butyrate and DSST with Z score, and hypertension also influenced the association between butyrate and DSST.
Higher butyrate intake in individuals aged ≥60 years was linked to better cognitive functioning. This could potentially contribute to maintaining brain function during aging.
研究表明，丁酸盐可通过抑制神经炎症和神经元凋亡来增强小鼠的记忆力和认知功能。轻度认知障碍的老年人粪便中丁酸盐水平升高与阿尔茨海默病生物标志物β淀粉样蛋白42（Aβ-42）水平降低相关。本研究调查了老年人丁酸盐摄入量与认知表现之间的关系，该关系仍有待阐明。
本研究采用横断面观察性设计，分析从2011 - 2014年美国国家健康与营养检查调查（NHANES）的2078名参与者收集的数据。丁酸盐摄入量基于两次24小时饮食评估确定。为评估认知功能，进行了三项测试：动物流畅性测试（AFT）以评估执行功能，数字符号替换测试（DSST）用于测量处理速度，以及阿尔茨海默病注册协会（CERAD）子测试以评估记忆力。计算每项测试和总体认知表现的Z分数。使用多元线性回归模型和广义相加模型（GAM）来检验丁酸盐摄入量与心理功能之间的相关性。最后，进行亚组分析和交互作用测试以验证关联的稳健性。
NHANES研究涵盖2011年至2014年期间进行的两项调查，涉及2078名60岁及以上的参与者。较高的饮食丁酸盐摄入量与DSST、AFT、CERAD即时回忆测试的较好表现以及Z分数之间呈正相关。即使在调整潜在混杂因素后，丁酸盐摄入量处于上四分位数的参与者的DSST分数（β = 1.60，95%CI：0.04 - 3.17）、AFT分数（β = 0.99，95%CI：0.37 - 1.60）和Z分数（β = 0.09，95%CI：0.01 - 0.17）显著高于最低四分位数的个体。最后，在分组中未观察到显著的交互作用。最后，在亚组分析中，发现体重指数（BMI）影响丁酸盐与DSST的Z分数之间的正相关，高血压也影响丁酸盐与DSST之间的关联。
60岁及以上个体较高的丁酸盐摄入量与更好的认知功能相关。这可能有助于在衰老过程中维持脑功能。
