[Age-associated cognitive impairment and intestinal microbiota: state of the issue and prospects for further study.]

In recent years, the relationship between the microbial flora of the gastrointestinal tract, mainly the intestinal microbiota, and the state of various brain structures responsible for cognitive functioning has been actively studied. Special attention is paid to the transformation of the intestinal microbiota during aging and against the background of age-associated pathologies such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The material presented in the article, based on a review of the scientific literature of recent years, highlights the main points of interaction between the intestinal microbiota and the Central nervous system in the conditions of norm, pathology and age dynamics. The article deals with the participation of intestinal microflora in the pathogenesis of cognitive disorders and the possibility of using probiotic-based drugs in the complex therapy of neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly. The author's position is indicated in terms of the need for further study of the problem, taking into account its gerontology significance and possible disorders of the gastrointestinal tract when using medications for the treatment of dementia.