Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of conditions caused by the progressive loss of the function or structure of neurons in the central nervous system. Although the physical or mental symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases can be alleviated by combined therapy, there is no strategy to directly slow down or prevent neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies on the microbiota-gut-brain axis have found that gut microbiota and their metabolites play an important role in the occurrence and development of nervous system diseases. As the main metabolites of gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) , are the key transmitter involved in gut-brain communication and have neuroprotective effect on neurodegenerative diseases, but the specific mechanism is not clear. This article mainly reviews the mechanism of SCFAs in neurodegenerative diseases. It is concluded that improving the level of SCFAs in vivo by changing dietary habits via increasing dietary fiber intake and supplementing probiotics and exogenous SCFAs, may become a new safe and effective target for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, which may provide guidance for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

神经退行性疾病是中枢神经系统中神经元功能或结构进行性丧失而导致的一组疾病，虽然神经退行性疾病的身体或精神症状可通过联合治疗来缓解，但目前还没有直接减缓或预防神经退行性疾病的策略。近年来对肠道微生物群-肠-脑轴研究发现，肠道微生物群及其代谢产物在神经系统疾病的发生、发展中发挥着重要作用，而短链脂肪酸作为肠道微生物群的主要代谢产物，是肠-脑沟通的关键递质，对神经退行性疾病具有神经保护作用，但其具体机制尚不清楚。本文主要综述了短链脂肪酸对神经退行性疾病的作用机制，得出通过改变饮食习惯增加膳食纤维的摄入含量、补充益生菌与外源性短链脂肪酸等方法从而改变体内短链脂肪酸水平，可能会成为神经退行性疾病安全有效的防治新靶点，以期为神经退行性疾病的治疗提供参考。