Gut dysbiosis and neurological diseases: A narrative review of the gut-brain axis

The gut microbiota has emerged as a key regulator of neurological health through its bidirectional communication with the brain, known as the gut–brain axis. Disruptions in microbial balance, or gut dysbiosis, contribute to the development and progression of neurological disorders, including neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric conditions. This interaction’s mechanisms involve neuroanatomical pathways, neuroendocrine signaling, immune responses, and microbial metabolites. Therapeutic strategies such as probiotics, prebiotics, dietary interventions, fecal microbiota transplantation, and metabolite-based therapies show promise in modulating dysbiosis. However, methodological challenges and interindividual variability hinder clinical translation. Future integration of multiomics and artificial intelligence approaches may enable precision microbiome-based therapies for neurological diseases.