New research reveals a connection between gut microbiome health and cognitive impairment risk in adults, with food insecurity playing a crucial modifying role in this relationship. This first-of-its-kind study, led by Mount Sinai researchers and published in NPJ Aging, is the first epidemiologic investigation to examine how limited access to nutritious food affects the link between gut microbiome composition and brain function.
The study analyzed 360 adult participants from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, examining their food security status, cognitive test scores and gut microbiome composition through stool sample analysis. Researchers found that adults with lower microbial diversity and specific imbalances in gut bacteria were significantly more likely to experience cognitive impairment.
Food insecurity and gut health emerged as independently linked factors affecting cognitive performance. The researchers note this finding has significant public health implications, as more than 12% of United States households experienced food insecurity in 2022, representing 17 million households and showing an increase from 10.2% in 2021.
Using machine learning, researchers identified two distinct clusters of gut microbes — known as microbial cliques — whose associations with cognitive impairment varied based on food security status. Among food-insecure individuals, the presence of bacteria including Eisenbergiella or Eubacterium was more strongly associated with cognitive impairment. For food-secure individuals, a different microbial group — including Ruminococcus torques, Bacteroides and CAG-352F — was more strongly linked to cognitive issues.
“Food insecurity is not just a socioeconomic issue — it may be a biological one too, influencing brain health via changes to the gut microbiome,” said Vishal Midya, PhD, MStat, Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and senior author of the study.
The authors say these findings may have implications for future public health interventions, particularly in communities facing barriers to nutritious food. As food security status appears to shape how gut microbes relate to brain function, interventions aimed at improving cognitive health may benefit from accounting for both biological and social factors.