The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Mental Health and Cognitive Function in Patients with Coronary Atherosclerosis

TL;DR

This review explores how gut bacteria might influence heart disease and cognitive decline, suggesting dietary fiber could help reduce inflammation.

Contribution

The paper reviews the link between gut microbiota, atherosclerosis severity, and cognitive impairment, emphasizing the role of inflammation and dietary fiber.

Findings

Intestinal dysbiosis increases inflammation linked to atherosclerosis and cognitive decline.

Dietary fiber may reduce inflammatory markers in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.

LPS translocation from gut dysbiosis contributes to chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration.

Abstract

The gut microbiota plays an important role in maintaining the body’s homeostasis, and its disruption has been linked to the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis and cognitive decline. This review attempted to assess whether the composition of the gut microbiota differs significantly according to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and whether the presence of specific cytokines and inflammatory markers in the microbiota of patients with atherosclerosis may correlate with cognitive impairment. In addition, it considered whether increased dietary fiber intake may contribute to lower levels of inflammatory markers compared to a low-fiber diet. This review included publications from 2015 to 2024, searched in the PubMed and Scopus databases. Only studies meeting the quality criteria were included. The pooled data indicate that intestinal dysbiosis can lead to increased intestinal barrier permeability and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) translocation, which promotes chronic inflammation. This process plays an important role in both atherosclerosis and neurodegeneration. In addition, some studies indicate a beneficial effect of dietary fiber in reducing inflammatory markers. The conclusions of this review highlight the need for further, well-designed studies to identify the causal relationship between the microbiota, its metabolites, atherosclerosis, and cognitive deficits, which may provide the basis for new therapeutic strategies.

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