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New Insights on Nutrition and Gut–Brain Axis

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 March 2026 | Viewed by 2112

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (CCB‐UFSC) , Florianoolis, Brazil
Interests: microbial-brain interactions in Parkinson’s disease neurodegeneration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Different dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean, high-fiber, plant-based, high-protein, ketogenic, and Western diets, have been linked to varying effects on neuropsychiatric symptoms, neuroprotection, and neuroinflammation, influencing outcomes from stress-related disorders to neurodegeneration. The gut microbiome interacts with dietary compounds, processes macronutrients and micronutrients, contributes to energy balance, and produces metabolites, many of which have neuroactive properties. Evidence demonstrates that diet is a major determinant of gut microbiome composition, and alterations in diet–microbiome interactions can impact host health, including brain function. This relationship has led to the concept of the diet–microbiota–gut–brain axis, which encompasses the immune system, metabolism, endocrine signaling, and neuronal pathways.

Several factors should be considered when interpreting diet–microbiota–gut–brain interactions, including environmental influences, food composition, geography, cultural and genetic factors, and aging. A deeper understanding of these interactions may pave the way for targeted dietary interventions and precision nutrition strategies to optimize brain health and mitigate neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.

We invite researchers to submit original research, including cross-sectional, cohort, and interventional studies on animal models and human populations, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Submissions should explore the complex interplay between diet, gut microbiota, and brain function.

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Livia Hecke Morais
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gut–brain axis
  • microbiome
  • neurodevelopment
  • neuropsychiatric disorders
  • neurodegeneration
  • metabolism
  • diet
  • precision nutrition
  • gene–environment interactions

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

30 pages, 1124 KB  
Review
Diet as a Modulator of Gut Microbiota May Reduce Alzheimer’s Disease Risk
by Agnieszka Małgorzata Ochocińska, Izabela Podstawka, Alina Kępka and Napoleon Waszkiewicz
Nutrients 2025, 17(19), 3053; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193053 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1810
Abstract
The aging process, along with an inadequate diet and an inflammatory gut response resulting from dysbiosis, contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Modifying the composition of the gut microbiota through appropriate pre/probiotic-rich diets may act as a preventive option for AD. [...] Read more.
The aging process, along with an inadequate diet and an inflammatory gut response resulting from dysbiosis, contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Modifying the composition of the gut microbiota through appropriate pre/probiotic-rich diets may act as a preventive option for AD. The variety of functions performed by the gut microbiota makes this ecosystem one of the most important systems in the human body. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), the Mediterranean–DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet (MIND), and the modified ketogenic–Mediterranean diet (MKD) positively affect the intestinal microflora and may reduce the risk of dementia. A ketogenic diet has a neuroprotective effect and improves cognitive function but leads to a significant decrease in the abundance and diversity of bacterial species in favor of harmful bacteria. A Western-style diet (Western diet, WD) rich in processed products, red meat, simple sugars, and saturated fatty acids has a negative impact on gut microbiota function, increasing the risk of AD. Our review supports the hypothesis that factors like a proper diet and a healthy gut microbiota have a positive impact on the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. A thorough understanding of the role the microbiota plays in the proper functioning of the nervous system can aid in the prevention of AD by developing new dietary strategies and dietary lifestyles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights on Nutrition and Gut–Brain Axis)
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