Gut Microbiome Composition Could Be Linked With Risk of Cognitive Impairment
In the study, the composition of the gut microbiome could also be affected by food insecurity, a known social determinant of health.
Investigators found that the composition of the gut microbiome could potentially be linked with the risk of cognitive impairment in adults. They believe the role could show how biology and social determinants play in brain health. In a study published in npj Aging, investigators aimed to determine the role food insecurity plays in the gut microbe and, thus, cognitive function.1,2
In the study, the composition of the gut microbiome could also be affected by food insecurity, a known social determinant of health. | Image Credit: Monstar Studio - stock.adobe.com
“Pharmacists can do so much, but if they’re spending most of their time dispensing and doing drug-drug interactions, less of their time actually flexing their mind and their clinical expertise, we’re never going to achieve the future vision of the modern pharmacist,” Vin Gupta, MD, former chief medical officer at Amazon Pharmacy, said in an interview.3 “The future of smart pharmacy, to me, fundamentally looks different.”
Community pharmacies, which are very accessible to the public, are well positioned to address social determinants of health (SDOH), including food insecurity. In a session at the Pharmacy Quality Alliance Annual Meeting 2025, presenters stated that approximately 68% of patients have at least 1 unmet SDOH. They recommended approaching SDOH conversations with empathy, an understanding of community resources, and open communication with the health care team.4
“We're really looking at the patient holistically,” Binal Patel, MPharm, BCGP, director of clinical initiatives and client liaison at PerformRx, said.4 “We're talking about food security, we're talking about aging programs, we're talking about education, and community resources. Referral to care is also a big one. It’s a general bucket but if you were to deep dive, you would see economic issues. You would see food insecurity. We saw a lot of transportation issues as well… I also understand these are issues that we traditionally don't see as something a pharmacist does. But we're not really fixing the problem. We're just giving the patients additional resources to try and help them address their barriers.”
In the current study, 292 patients did not experience food insecurity and 68 did. For patients who were food secure, the average age was 62.6 years compared with 56.8 years for those who were food insecure. Patients who were food insecure had a greater mean body mass index, and nonHispanic white patients comprised a greater percentage of those who were food insecure.1
The investigators found that food insecurity was associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Bacteroides amplicon sequence variant (ASV) was associated with the risk of cognitive impairment in the food-secure group, according to the study results. Furthermore, Christensenellaceae ASV was inversely associated with the food-secure group, but it did not maintain statistical significance.1
Two microbial cliques were identified in association with cognitive decline, according to the investigators. Of 68 patients who were food-insecure individuals, 25% had Eisenbergiella and/or Eubacterium (first clique), which was the same for the food-secure group. In the second clique, including Ruminococcus torques, Bacteroides, CAG-352F, and/or Eubacterium, 33.8% and 33.6% of patients, respectively, had these microbes. For patients in the food-insecure group, the first clique was significantly associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment compared with a significant but weaker association for patients who were food secure. As for the second clique, both groups had a significant association, but it was slightly stronger for patients who were food secure.1
This study has highlighted the importance of considering food insecurity in developing prevention strategies against cognitive impairment,” the study authors stated.1 “However, further investigation may focus on mechanisms by which microbial cliques affect the central nervous system and how food insecurity modifies those pathways.”
READ MORE: Digestive Health Resource Center
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