AIM: Evidence suggests that the gut microbiome is involved in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study investigates the association between gut microbiota composition, cognitive function, and metabolic health in postmenopausal women with T2DM following a 12-week home-based multi-task exercise intervention. METHODS: Seventy postmenopausal women with T2DM were randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which performed home-based multi-task exercises, or a control group. Gut microbiota, cognitive function, physical fitness, and metabolic indices were assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Exercise training significantly increased Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium levels, and reduced Lactobacillus abundance (p < 0.05). Participants showed improvements in HDL levels, cognitive function, and physical fitness (p < 0.05). Among the microbial changes, an increased abundance of Akkermansia was significantly correlated with improvements in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (r 0.41) and cognitive function (r 0.49). CONCLUSION: This study supports the potential effectiveness of multi-task exercise programs in enhancing physical fitness and metabolic health in postmenopausal women with T2DM. The findings also suggest a possible connection between the gut and the brain, with Akkermansia muciniphila emerging as a potential mediator. Investigating the Akkermansia-to-brain pathway represents a promising and emerging area of research that warrants further exploration.
With permission from Excerpta Medica Inc.

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