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Computerized cognitive training enhances cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease by downregulating Ruminococcus-TMAO pathway
Wenbo Zhang, Jiaqi Song, Fuxin Zhong, Wuhan Yu, Zhangjin Qin, Ziying Yang, Jiarui Liu, Xiaoqin Wang et al.. Journal of translational medicine, 2025-10-24
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
Seventy-four participants completed the study. The CCT group showed significant improvement in ADAS-cog scores compared to controls (Cohen's d = 1.57 by week 24). Notably, CCT also induced a distinct reorganization of prefrontal functional connectivity and significantly reduced plasma TMAO levels. Microbiome analysis revealed that CCT mitigated the expansion of Ruminococcus torques group (R.torques), which was observed in the control group. Crucially, R.torques was the only genus significantly correlated with improvements in cognition (ADAS-cog, r = 0.407), neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI, r = 0.395), TMAO reduction (r = 0.443), and functional connectivity changes (r = 0.449). A 24-week CCT program improves cognitive function in MCI and mild AD, potentially through downregulating the R.torques-TMAO pathway within the MGB axis. This pathway represents a promising novel target for multi-domain intervention in AD.
Key findings
- Seventy-four participants completed the study.
- The CCT group showed significant improvement in ADAS-cog scores compared to controls (Cohen's d = 1.57 by week 24).
- Notably, CCT also induced a distinct reorganization of prefrontal functional connectivity and significantly reduced plasma TMAO levels.
- Microbiome analysis revealed that CCT mitigated the expansion of Ruminococcus torques group (R.torques), which was observed in the control group.
- Crucially, R.torques was the only genus significantly correlated with improvements in cognition (ADAS-cog, r = 0.407), neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI, r = 0.395), TMAO reduction (r = 0.443), and functional connectivity changes (r = 0.449).
Study details
- Study designrandomized controlled trial
- Participants84
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 79/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 44 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 79 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of translational medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 84 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41137085) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 44 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 44 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 79 out of 100. |
| Total | 79 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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APA 7th
Zhang, W., Song, J., Zhong, F., Yu, W., Qin, Z., Yang, Z., et al. (2025). Computerized cognitive training enhances cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease by downregulating Ruminococcus-TMAO pathway. Journal of translational medicine. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-07209-4
Vancouver
Zhang W, Song J, Zhong F, Yu W, Qin Z, Yang Z, et al. Computerized cognitive training enhances cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease by downregulating Ruminococcus-TMAO pathway. Journal of translational medicine. 2025. doi:10.1186/s12967-025-07209-4. PMID: 41137085.
BibTeX
@article{zhang2025-41137085,
author = {Zhang, Wenbo and Song, Jiaqi and Zhong, Fuxin and Yu, Wuhan and Qin, Zhangjin and Yang, Ziying and Liu, Jiarui and Wang, Xiaoqin and others},
title = {{Computerized cognitive training enhances cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease by downregulating Ruminococcus-TMAO pathway}},
journal = {Journal of translational medicine},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1186/s12967-025-07209-4},
pmid = {41137085},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-07209-4}
}