Rural communities face unique health challenges, from food insecurity to limited access to nutritious foods and health care. New research led by medical students at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine highlights how those challenges may increase the risk of dementia—and points to opportunities for prevention. 

Published in Frontiers in Nutrition, the review brings together evidence from biological, clinical and population-based studies to explain how poor nutrition can accelerate cognitive decline. The authors focus on the gut-brain axis, a complex communication network linking digestive health to brain function. 

According to the review, nutrition-related stressors common in rural areas can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, reduce the production of protective short-chain fatty acids and increase intestinal permeability. These changes contribute to systemic inflammation, which in turn activates pathways associated with neurodegeneration. Over time, this process can promote brain inflammation, oxidative stress and reduced neuronal resilience—key contributors to dementia.  

The authors also explore emerging strategies to reduce risk, emphasizing the potential of precision nutrition approaches tailored to rural and underserved populations. Nutraceutical-based interventions, they note, may offer scalable and cost-effective options when combined with community support and public health policy efforts that address structural barriers to healthy food access. 

The article was developed by second-year medical students Naga L. Gannavaram, Cohen Yates and Aishniya Kandula, working under the mentorship of Komal Sodhi, M.D., Bruno de Souza Goncalves, Ph.D., and Asma Nayyar, M.D., reflecting the School of Medicine’s emphasis on early, meaningful research experiences for trainees. 

“Research conducted by our medical students reflects the strength of our university’s commitment to excellence in scholarly activity,” said Krista L. Denning M.D., assistant dean for student research. “Their contributions help advance scientific understanding while shaping the next generation of physician scientists.”  

The full article, “Nutritional strategies against dementia in rural populations,” is available in Frontiers in Nutrition at https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1677197.  

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PHOTO CAPTION: From left to right: Sneha S. Pillai, Ph.D., research assistant professor; Aishniya Kandula, second-year medical student; Bruno de Souza Goncalves, Ph.D., post-doctoral fellow; Naga L. Gannavaram, second-year medical student; and Cohen Yates, second-year medical student

Date Posted: Thursday, December 18, 2025