Dietary flavonoids: Role in preventing neurodegenerative diseases caused by brain aging by modulating the gut microbiota

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are a group of disorders caused by degeneration and dysfunction of the cells and tissues of the central nervous system (CNS). With the aging of the population, NDDs are becoming a major concern, and impaired cognitive function can have a severe impact on people's quality of life. Recently, flavonoids have gained attention as antioxidants that can prevent chronic diseases. A growing body of research suggests that flavonoids, widely distributed in plants, significantly ameliorate cognitive impairment and that alterations in gut microbiota are strongly associated with the development of NDDs. This paper reviews the potential mechanisms for flavonoids to intervene in the composition and metabolites of the gut microbiota, which in turn affect the CNS via the microbe-gut-brain axis. It provides research ideas for the prevention and improvement of brain aging, as well as new horizons for subsequent on how to combine the gut microbiota and dietary flavonoids to treat NDDs in the future.