Gut Microbiome-Mediated Neuroprotective Effect of the Mediterranean Diet: A Narrative Review of Cognitive Aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Parkinson’s Disease

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are major neurodegenerative disorders for which disease-modifying therapies are limited. Increasingly, evidence suggests that diet influences neurodegenerative risk through interactions among the gut microbiome, immune system, and brain. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with improved cognitive health, but the mechanisms underlying its potential neuroprotective effects remain incompletely understood.