The role of diet, gut microbiome, and inflammation in vascular dementia: a mini review

Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease and results from cerebrovascular pathology leading to brain tissue damage. This mini-review synthesizes current evidence on the interplay between diet, gut microbiota, and inflammation in the pathogenesis of VaD. Despite its significant global prevalence, there remains no effective pharmacological treatment for VaD, highlighting the need for preventative strategies. Emerging research suggests that the gut microbiome, diet, and systemic inflammation may collectively play a crucial role in the development and progression of VaD. The gut microbiome, a key regulator of immune function, has been implicated in neuroinflammation and cognitive decline, with microbial imbalances associated with elevated systemic inflammation and breakdown of blood brain barrier integrity. Furthermore, dietary patterns influence both gut microbiota composition and inflammatory status, with pro-inflammatory diets correlating with higher dementia risk and anti-inflammatory diets showing potential neuroprotective effects. A better understanding of these relationships could inform novel prevention and treatment strategies, including microbiome-targeted therapies such as probiotics and faecal microbiota transplantation.