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Nutritional strategies against dementia in rural populations
Bruno De Souza Gonçalves, Naga L. Gannavaram, Cohen Yates, Aishniya Kandula, Aleen Nayyar, Aleen Nayyar, Sneha S. Pillai, Ridhi K. Puri et al.. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2025-12-15
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that represents a growing challenge to global health, especially in aging populations. The burden of dementia is high in rural communities, where access to healthcare services, nutritional resources, and educational opportunities is significantly limited. A critical knowledge gap exists regarding how rural-specific nutritional disparities mechanistically interact with gut-brain axis dysfunction to influence dementia risk. The gut-brain axis mediates neuroimmune communication, metabolic regulation, and microbial signaling, and nutritional insufficiency is associated with reduced microbial diversity, impaired short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) production, increased intestinal permeability, and heightened systemic inflammatory activity, all of which contribute to neurodegenerative processes. This review delineates the mechanistic pathways linking malnutrition-induced gut dysregulation to neuronal injury and cognitive decline, with a specific focus on rural populations. We further evaluate the biological actions of key nutraceutical classes, including phytochemicals (curcumin, resveratrol, sulforaphane, ginkgo biloba), vitamins (B12, C, E, and D), and metabolic/dietary interventions (omega-3 fatty acids, ketogenic diet, Mediterranean diet, trehalose). By consolidating preclinical and clinical evidence, we identify the molecular targets through which these nutraceuticals modulate oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling networks, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, and microRNA regulation. In summary, our findings suggest that nutraceutical-based approaches targeting gut-brain axis dysfunction may provide a feasible and biologically informed strategy for mitigating dementia disparities in rural settings.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Gonçalves, B. D. S., Gannavaram, N. L., Yates, C., Kandula, A., Nayyar, A., Pillai, S. S., et al. (2025). Nutritional strategies against dementia in rural populations. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1677197
Vancouver
Gonçalves BDS, Gannavaram NL, Yates C, Kandula A, Nayyar A, Pillai SS, et al. Nutritional strategies against dementia in rural populations. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025. doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1677197. PMID: 41473190.
BibTeX
@article{goncalves2025-41473190,
author = {Gonçalves, Bruno De Souza and Gannavaram, Naga L. and Yates, Cohen and Kandula, Aishniya and Nayyar, Aleen and Pillai, Sneha S. and Puri, Ridhi K. and others},
title = {{Nutritional strategies against dementia in rural populations}},
journal = {Frontiers in Nutrition},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3389/fnut.2025.1677197},
pmid = {41473190},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1677197}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- The burden of dementia is high in rural communities, where access to healthcare services, nutritional resources, and educational opportunities is significantly limited.
- The gut-brain axis mediates neuroimmune communication, metabolic regulation, and microbial signaling, and nutritional insufficiency is associated with reduced microbial diversity, impaired short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) production, increased intestinal permeability, and heightened systemic inflammatory activity, all of which contribute to neurodegenerative processes.
- In summary, our findings suggest that nutraceutical-based approaches targeting gut-brain axis dysfunction may provide a feasible and biologically informed strategy for mitigating dementia disparities in rural settings.
Why it matters
This review describes how nutritional insufficiency in rural populations may contribute to dementia through gut-brain axis dysfunction, including reduced microbial diversity and increased inflammation. It evaluates nutraceuticals and dietary interventions, but the evidence discussed is preclinical and clinical, not a proven treatment.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 31/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 30 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 31 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in Nutrition) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Frontiers in Nutrition: journal h-index 147 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” 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 | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Asma Nayyar holds only 9 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Marshall University: institution h-index 195 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41473190) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 30 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 30 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 31 out of 100. |
| Total | 31 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1677197
- PubMed: 41473190
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Nutrition →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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