The Effect of Probiotic Supplementation on Cognitive and Emotional Functions in Healthy Elderly Subjects

Gut microbiota (GM) has focused as an important target for emotional and cognitive diseases, moreover in a population that show an altered GM such as elderly population as age-related changes. Several studies have shown that ageing alter GM, both in diversity and integrity.

Probiotics have demonstrated that correct or prevent age-related dysbiosis, in order to reduce or prevent intestinal permeability and associated inflammation, inhibit the generation of harmful and/or toxic metabolites, as well as promote the production of beneficial bacterial components.

The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a multiprobiotic formulation as a therapeutic strategy to attenuate the emotional and cognitive decline associated with ageing in healthy adults over 55 years of age. The hypothesis is that administration of a multi-species probiotic for 10 weeks will slow and/or ameliorate the decline in emotional and cognitive function inherent to senescence.

Inclusion criteria

• be aged 55 years or over,
• voluntarily agree to participate in the study in accordance with the Helsinki declaration,
• not be participating in another study that could interfere with the results.

Exclusion criteria

• suffer from any serious mental illness other than depression and anxiety,
• score below 10 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (severe cognitive impairment)
• be using medications that affect cognition,
• taking anti-inflammatory drugs, antipsychotics, antibiotics and/or anxiolytics,
• have a serious illness (e.g. cancer, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's).