15–20% of people over 65 experience mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which involves a decline in memory and the ability to think clearly.Doctors do not consider MCI to be a form of dementia because people who have it are able to function relatively well and live independently.
However, MCI is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia later in life.Developing preventive strategies that can be initiated early is therefore a priority.
But despite decades of research, no therapies have been shown to reverse or prevent the brain changes seen in Alzheimer’s. One potential strategy that scientists have begun to explore involves modifying the diet to influence the microbial communities in the gut.