Abstract
Dementia is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline, particularly in older adults. Approximately 75% to 90% of individuals with dementia experience behavioral and psychological symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, irritability, apathy, and aggression, which significantly impact both patients and their caregivers. The limited effectiveness of pharmacological treatments highlights the growing importance of non-pharmacological interventions. This review examines current scientific literature, with a particular focus on diet as a modifiable factor supporting non pharmacological treatment. A literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane identifying key research gaps for the non-pharmacological nutritional management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Notably, there is a lack of studies that comprehensively address the relationship between diet and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Existing findings suggest that dietary interventions may help regulate neuroinflammation and neurotransmission through microbiota-mediated pathways in Alzheimer’s disease. However, evidence specifically linking diet to the management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia remains insufficient. These insights underscore the need for further interdisciplinary and longitudinal studies to establish causality and to develop effective, evidence-based nutritional strategies. From a theoretical point, this work contributes to emerging models in psychogeriatrics and nutritional psychiatry. Diet represents a low-risk, cost-effective approach to alleviate symptoms. Nutrition is increasingly recognized as a key modulator of the gut microbiota, which, via the microbiota–gut–brain axis, may influence mental health and present a novel therapeutic target. This work is situated within the fields of geriatrics, neuropsychology, and nutritional neuroscience.
Presenters
Aleksandra GolonkaStudent, PhD Candidate, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Poland
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
KEYWORDS
Diet, Nutrition, Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, Microbiota-gut-brain axis
