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Nicolas S, Dohm-Hansen S, Lavelle A, Bastiaanssen TFS, English JA, Cryan JF, Nolan YM. Exercise mitigates a gut microbiota-mediated reduction in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and associated behaviours in rats. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:195. [PMID: 38658547 PMCID: PMC11043361 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02904-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Lifestyle factors, especially exercise, impact the manifestation and progression of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders such as depression and Alzheimer's disease, mediated by changes in hippocampal neuroplasticity. The beneficial effects of exercise may be due to its promotion of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN). Gut microbiota has also been showed to be altered in a variety of brain disorders, and disturbances of the microbiota have resulted in alterations in brain and behaviour. However, whether exercise can counteract the negative effects of altered gut microbiota on brain function remains under explored. To this end, chronic disruption of the gut microbiota was achieved using an antibiotic cocktail in rats that were sedentary or allowed voluntary access to running wheels. Sedentary rats with disrupted microbiota displayed impaired performance in hippocampal neurogenesis-dependent tasks: the modified spontaneous location recognition task and the novelty suppressed feeding test. Performance in the elevated plus maze was also impaired due to antibiotics treatment. These behaviours, and an antibiotics-induced reduction in AHN were attenuated by voluntary exercise. The effects were independent of changes in the hippocampal metabolome but were paralleled by caecal metabolomic changes. Taken together these data highlight the importance of the gut microbiota in AHN-dependent behaviours and demonstrate the power of lifestyle factors such as voluntary exercise to attenuate these changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nicolas
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Sebastian Dohm-Hansen
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Aonghus Lavelle
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Thomaz F S Bastiaanssen
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jane A English
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- INFANT Research Centre, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Yvonne M Nolan
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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2
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Schellekens H, Ribeiro G, Cuesta-Marti C, Cryan JF. The microbiome-gut-brain axis in nutritional neuroscience. Nutr Neurosci 2023; 26:1159-1171. [PMID: 36222323 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2022.2128007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence is highlighting the microbiome as a key regulator of the effect of nutrition on gut-brain axis signaling. Nevertheless, it is not yet clear whether the impact of nutrition is moderating the microbiota-gut-brain interaction or if diet has a mediating role on microbiota composition and function to influence central nervous system function, brain phenotypes and behavior. Mechanistic evidence from cell-based in vitro studies, animal models and preclinical intervention studies are linking the gut microbiota to the effects of diet on brain function, but they have had limited translation to human intervention studies. While increasing evidence demonstrates the triangulating relationship between diet, microbiota, and brain function across the lifespan, future mechanistic and translational studies in the field of microbiota and nutritional neuroscience are warranted to inform potential strategies for prevention and management of several neurological, neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders. This brief primer provides an overview of the most recent advances in the nutritional neuroscience - microbiome field, highlighting significant opportunities for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriët Schellekens
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Cristina Cuesta-Marti
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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3
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Fleischer AW, Frick KM. New perspectives on sex differences in learning and memory. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2023; 34:526-538. [PMID: 37500421 PMCID: PMC10617789 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Females have historically been disregarded in memory research, including the thousands of studies examining roles for the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and amygdala in learning and memory. Even when included, females are often judged based on male-centric behavioral and neurobiological standards, generating and perpetuating scientific stereotypes that females exhibit worse memories compared with males in domains such as spatial navigation and fear. Recent research challenges these dogmas by identifying sex-specific strategies in common memory tasks. Here, we discuss rodent data illustrating sex differences in spatial and fear memory, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying memory formation. The influence of sex steroid hormones in both sexes is discussed, as is the importance to basic and translational neuroscience of studying sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron W Fleischer
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA.
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA.
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4
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Zhang M, Zhai Z, Yang B, He L, Wang J, Dai W, Xue L, Yang X, Feng Y, Wang H. Exploring the alteration of gut microbiota and brain function in gender-specific Parkinson's disease based on metagenomic sequencing. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1148546. [PMID: 37502423 PMCID: PMC10370496 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1148546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in Parkinson's disease (PD) has received increasing attention. Although gender differences are known to an essential role in the epidemiology and clinical course of PD, there are no studies on the sex specificity of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in the development and progression of PD. Methods Fresh fecal samples from 24 PD patients (13 males, 11 females) were collected for metagenomic sequencing. The composition and function of the gut microbiota were analyzed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Gender-dependent differences in brain ALFF values and their correlation with microbiota were further analyzed. Results The relative abundance of Propionivibrio, Thermosediminibacter, and Flavobacteriaceae_noname was increased in male PD patients. LEfse analysis showed that Verrucomicrobial, Akkermansiaceae, and Akkermansia were dominant in the males. In female patients, the relative abundance of Propionicicella was decreased and Escherichia, Escherichia_coli, and Lachnospiraceae were predominant. The expression of the sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis pathways was increased in male PD patients and was statistically different from females. Compared to the Male PD patients, female patients showed decreased ALFF values in the left inferior parietal regions, and the relative abundance of Propionivibrio was positively correlated with the regional ALFF values. Conclusion Our study provides novel clinical evidence of the gender-specific relationship between gut microbiota alterations and brain function in PD patients, highlighting the critical role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in gender differences in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minna Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhai
- Department of Neurology, The Huai’an Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Huai’an, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, China
| | - Le He
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, China
| | - Weijie Dai
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, China
| | - Liujun Xue
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, China
| | - Xiaozhong Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, China
| | - Yun Feng
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Honggang Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai’an No.1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, China
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Gancz NN, Levinson JA, Callaghan BL. Sex and gender as critical and distinct contributors to the human brain-gut-microbiome axis. Brain Res Bull 2023; 199:110665. [PMID: 37192716 PMCID: PMC11149430 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The brain-gut-microbiome axis (BGMA) is a pivotal contributor to human health. A large body of research, especially from animal models, has revealed bidirectional, causal relationships between the BGMA and sex. In particular, sex steroids appear to be affected by the BGMA, to influence the BGMA, and to moderate environmental effects on the BGMA. However, animal research on the relationship between sex and the BGMA has not translated well to human models. We contend that this is due in part to an oversimplified approach to sex: although BGMA researchers have traditionally approached sex as a unidimensional, dichotomous variable, it is in fact multidimensional and is comprised of both multi-categorical and continuous dimensions. We also contend that research on the BGMA in humans should approach gender as a variable that is distinct from sex and that gender may influence the BGMA through pathways that are independent from the effects of sex alone. Research practices that consider the complexity and distinctiveness of sex and gender in relation to the human BGMA will not only yield improved understanding of this consequential system, but will also enhance the development of treatments for adverse health outcomes with BGMA-related etiologies. We conclude with recommendations for the implementation of such practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- N N Gancz
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - J A Levinson
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - B L Callaghan
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 502 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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6
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Lin S, Wang H, Qiu J, Li M, Gao E, Wu X, Xu Y, Chen G. Altered gut microbiota profile in patients with perimenopausal panic disorder. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1139992. [PMID: 37304433 PMCID: PMC10249373 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1139992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Females in the perimenopausal period are susceptible to mood disorders. Perimenopausal panic disorder (PPD) is characterized by repeated and unpredictable panic attacks during perimenopause, and it impacts the patient's physical and mental health and social function. Pharmacotherapy is limited in the clinic, and its pathological mechanism is unclear. Recent studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota is strongly linked to emotion; however, the relation between PPD and microbiota is limitedly known. Methods This study aimed to discover specific microbiota in PPD patients and the intrinsic connection between them. Gut microbiota was analyzed in PPD patients (n = 40) and healthy controls (n = 40) by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results The results showed reduced α-diversity (richness) in the gut microbiota of PPD patients. β-diversity indicated that PPD and healthy controls had different intestinal microbiota compositions. At the genus level, 30 species of microbiota abundance had significantly different between the PPD and healthy controls. In addition, HAMA, PDSS, and PASS scales were collected in two groups. It was found that Bacteroides and Alistipes were positively correlated with PASS, PDSS, and HAMA. Discussion Bacteroides and Alistipes dysbiosis dominate imbalanced microbiota in PPD patients. This microbial alteration may be a potential pathogenesis and physio-pathological feature of PPD. The distinct gut microbiota can be a potential diagnostic marker and a new therapeutic target for PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen Lin
- Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongjin Wang
- Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingjing Qiu
- Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- The Bao'an District TCM Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Minghong Li
- Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ebin Gao
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wu
- Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- The Bao'an District TCM Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yunxiang Xu
- Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guizhen Chen
- The Bao'an District TCM Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Damiani F, Cornuti S, Tognini P. The gut-brain connection: Exploring the influence of the gut microbiota on neuroplasticity and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neuropharmacology 2023; 231:109491. [PMID: 36924923 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of brain circuits to reorganize and change the properties of the network, resulting in alterations in brain function and behavior. It is traditionally believed that neuroplasticity is influenced by external stimuli, learning, and experience. Intriguingly, there is new evidence suggesting that endogenous signals from the body's periphery may play a role. The gut microbiota, a diverse community of microorganisms living in harmony with their host, may be able to influence plasticity through its modulation of the gut-brain axis. Interestingly, the maturation of the gut microbiota coincides with critical periods of neurodevelopment, during which neural circuits are highly plastic and potentially vulnerable. As such, dysbiosis (an imbalance in the gut microbiota composition) during early life may contribute to the disruption of normal developmental trajectories, leading to neurodevelopmental disorders. This review aims to examine the ways in which the gut microbiota can affect neuroplasticity. It will also discuss recent research linking gastrointestinal issues and bacterial dysbiosis to various neurodevelopmental disorders and their potential impact on neurological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Cornuti
- Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Tognini
- Laboratory of Biology, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy; Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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8
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Salami M, Soheili M. The microbiota-gut- hippocampus axis. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1065995. [PMID: 36620458 PMCID: PMC9817109 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1065995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction It is well known that the intestinal bacteria substantially affect physiological processes in many body organs. Especially, through a bidirectional communication called as gut-microbiota-brain axis, the gut microbiota deeply influences development and function of the nervous system. Hippocampus, as a part of medial temporal lobe, is known to be involved in cognition, emotion, and anxiety. Growing evidence indicates that the hippocampus is a target of the gut microbiota. We used a broad search linking the hippocampus with the gut microbiota and probiotics. Methods All experimental studies and clinical trials published until end of 2021 were reviewed. Influence of the gut microbiota on the behavioral, electrophysiological, biochemical and histological aspects of the hippocampus were evaluated in this review. Results The effect of disrupted gut microbiota and probiotic supplements on the microbiota-hippocampus link is also considered. Studies show that a healthy gut microbiota is necessary for normal hippocampus dependent learning and memory and synaptic plasticity. The known current mechanisms are production and modulation of neurotrophins, neurotransmitters and receptors, regulation of intracellular molecular processes, normalizing the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory and oxidative/antioxidant factors, and histological stability of the hippocampus. Activity of the hippocampal neuronal circuits as well as behavioral functions of the hippocampus positively respond to different mixtures of probiotic bacteria. Discussion Growing evidence from animal researches indicate a close association between the hippocampus with the gut microbiota and probiotic bacteria as well. However, human studies and clinical trials verifying such a link are scant. Since the most of papers on this topic have been published over the past 3 years, intensive future research awaits.
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Tsan L, Sun S, Hayes AMR, Bridi L, Chirala LS, Noble EE, Fodor AA, Kanoski SE. Early life Western diet-induced memory impairments and gut microbiome changes in female rats are long-lasting despite healthy dietary intervention. Nutr Neurosci 2022; 25:2490-2506. [PMID: 34565305 PMCID: PMC8957635 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2021.1980697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Western diet consumption during adolescence results in hippocampus (HPC)-dependent memory impairments and gut microbiome dysbiosis. Whether these adverse outcomes persist in adulthood following healthy dietary intervention is unknown. Here we assessed the short- and long-term effects of adolescent consumption of a Western diet enriched with either sugar or both sugar and fat on metabolic outcomes, HPC function, and gut microbiota. METHODS Adolescent female rats (PN 26) were fed a standard chow diet (CHOW), chow with access to 11% sugar solution (SUG), or a junk food cafeteria-style diet (CAF) containing various foods high in fat and/or sugar. During adulthood (PN 65+), metabolic outcomes, HPC-dependent memory, and gut microbial populations were evaluated. In a subsequent experiment, these outcomes were evaluated following a 5-week dietary intervention where CAF and SUG groups were maintained on standard chow alone. RESULTS Both CAF and SUG groups demonstrated impaired HPC-dependent memory, increased adiposity, and altered gut microbial populations relative to the CHOW group. However, impaired peripheral glucose regulation was only observed in the SUG group. When examined following a healthy dietary intervention in a separate experiment, metabolic dysfunction was not observed in either the CAF or SUG group, whereas HPC-dependent memory impairments were observed in the CAF but not the SUG group. In both groups the composition of the gut microbiota remained distinct from CHOW rats after the dietary intervention. CONCLUSIONS While the metabolic impairments associated with adolescent junk food diet consumption are not present in adulthood following dietary intervention, the HPC-dependent memory impairments and the gut microbiome dysbiosis persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Tsan
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shan Sun
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Anna M. R. Hayes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lana Bridi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lekha S. Chirala
- Department of Biological Sciences, Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emily E. Noble
- Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Anthony A. Fodor
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Scott E. Kanoski
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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10
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Liu G, Yu Q, Tan B, Ke X, Zhang C, Li H, Zhang T, Lu Y. Gut dysbiosis impairs hippocampal plasticity and behaviors by remodeling serum metabolome. Gut Microbes 2022; 14:2104089. [PMID: 35876011 PMCID: PMC9327780 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2022.2104089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that gut microbiota as a critical mediator of gut-brain axis plays an important role in human health. Altered gut microbial profiles have been implicated in increasing the vulnerability of psychiatric disorders, such as autism, depression, and schizophrenia. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the association remain unknown. Here, we modified the gut microbiome with antibiotics in newborn mice, and found that gut microbial alteration induced behavioral impairment by decreasing adult neurogenesis and long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission, and altering the gene expression profile in hippocampus. Reconstitution with normal gut flora produced therapeutic effects against both adult neurogenesis and behavioral deficits in the dysbiosis mice. Furthermore, our results show that circulating metabolites changes mediate the effect of gut dysbiosis on hippocampal plasticity and behavior outcomes. Elevating the serum 4-methylphenol, a small aromatic metabolite produced by gut bacteria, was found to induce autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like behavior impairment and hippocampal dysfunction. Together our finding demonstrates that early-life gut dysbiosis and its correlated metabolites change contribute to hippocampal dysfunction and behavior impairment, hence highlight the potential microbiome-mediated therapies for treating psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqiang Liu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Wuhan Center of Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China
| | - Quntao Yu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Wuhan Center of Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China
| | - Bo Tan
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Wuhan Center of Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China
| | - Xiao Ke
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Wuhan Center of Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Wuhan Center of Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Wuhan Center of Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China
| | - Tongmei Zhang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Wuhan Center of Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China
| | - Youming Lu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Wuhan Center of Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, province, China,CONTACT Youming Lu Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan4030030, China
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11
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Khani F, Pourmotabbed A, Hosseinmardi N, Nedaei SE, Fathollahi Y, Azizi H. Impairment of spatial memory and dorsal hippocampal synaptic plasticity in adulthood due to adolescent morphine exposure. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 116:110532. [PMID: 35149126 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Opioid exposure during adolescence, a crucial period of neurodevelopment, has lasting neurological and behavioral consequences and affects the cognitive functions in adulthood. This study investigated the effects of adolescent morphine exposure in spatial learning and memory and synaptic plasticity of the CA1 area of the dorsal hippocampus. Adolescent Wistar rats received increasing doses of morphine for 1, 5, and 10 days. Acute morphine group was injected 2.5 mg/kg morphine for 1 day, subchronic morphine group for 5 days, with an increasing dose of 2.5 mg/kg and reached to the dose of 12.5 mg/kg and chronic morphine group for 10 days that began with an increasing dose of 2.5 mg/kg and reached to the dose of 25 mg/kg. Then after 25 days and reaching adulthood, spatial learning and memory were evaluated via the Morris water maze (MWM) test. Moreover, we test the electrophysiological properties of dorsal hippocampal plasticity in adult rats by in vitro field potential recordings. Subchronic and chronic adolescent morphine exposure impaired spatial learning and memory in the MWM test. Baseline synaptic responses in the chronic morphine group were increased and long-term potentiation (LTP) impaired in the CA1 area in subchronic and chronic morphine groups. In adulthood, the slope of the field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) required to elicit a half-maximal population spike (PS) amplitude was significantly larger in subchronic and chronic adolescent morphine exposure compared to the saline group. Therefore, subchronic and chronic adolescent morphine exposure altered synaptic transmission and plasticity in addition to learning and memory. Long-term morphine exposure during adolescence can interfere with neurodevelopment, making a persistent impression on plasticity and cognitive capability in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Khani
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Pourmotabbed
- Department of Physiology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Narges Hosseinmardi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Ershad Nedaei
- Department of Physiology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Yaghoub Fathollahi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Azizi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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12
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Short-chain fatty acids promote the effect of environmental signals on the gut microbiome and metabolome in mice. Commun Biol 2022; 5:517. [PMID: 35641653 PMCID: PMC9156677 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03468-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut microorganisms and the products of their metabolism thoroughly affect host brain development, function and behavior. Since alterations of brain plasticity and cognition have been demonstrated upon motor, sensorial and social enrichment of the housing conditions, we hypothesized that gut microbiota and metabolome could be altered by environmental stimuli, providing part of the missing link among environmental signals and brain effects. In this preliminary study, metagenomic and metabolomic analyses of mice housed in different environmental conditions, standard and enriched, identify environment-specific microbial communities and metabolic profiles. We show that mice housed in an enriched environment have distinctive microbiota composition with a reduction in gut bacterial richness and biodiversity and are characterized by a metabolomic fingerprint with the increase of formate and acetate and the decrease of bile salts. We demonstrate that mice treated with a mixture of formate and acetate recapitulate some of the brain plasticity effects modulated by environmental enrichment, such as hippocampal neurogenesis, neurotrophin production, short-term plasticity and cognitive behaviors, that can be further exploited to decipher the mechanisms involved in experience-dependent brain plasticity. Mice exposed to environmental enrichment for 5 weeks display distinct microbiota composition and behavioral and metabolic profiles compared to mice exposed to a standard environment. Mice treated with a mixture of short-chain fatty acids that are produced by gut bacteria recapitulate some of the effects of this environmental enrichment.
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13
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Dohm-Hansen S, Donoso F, Lucassen PJ, Clarke G, Nolan YM. The gut microbiome and adult hippocampal neurogenesis: A new focal point for epilepsy? Neurobiol Dis 2022; 170:105746. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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14
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Shobeiri P, Kalantari A, Teixeira AL, Rezaei N. Shedding light on biological sex differences and microbiota-gut-brain axis: a comprehensive review of its roles in neuropsychiatric disorders. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:12. [PMID: 35337376 PMCID: PMC8949832 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00422-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Women and men are suggested to have differences in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), schizophrenia, eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa, neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease. Genetic factors and sex hormones are apparently the main mediators of these differences. Recent evidence uncovers that reciprocal interactions between sex-related features (e.g., sex hormones and sex differences in the brain) and gut microbiota could play a role in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders via influencing the gut–brain axis. It is increasingly evident that sex–microbiota–brain interactions take part in the occurrence of neurologic and psychiatric disorders. Accordingly, integrating the existing evidence might help to enlighten the fundamental roles of these interactions in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, an increased understanding of the biological sex differences on the microbiota–brain may lead to advances in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and increase the potential for precision medicine. This review discusses the effects of sex differences on the brain and gut microbiota and the putative underlying mechanisms of action. Additionally, we discuss the consequences of interactions between sex differences and gut microbiota on the emergence of particular neuropsychiatric disorders. The human microbiome is a unique set of organisms affecting health via the gut–brain axis. Neuropsychiatric disorders, eating disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurodegenerative disorders are regulated by the microbiota–gut–brain axis in a sex-specific manner. Understanding the role of the microbiota–gut–brain axis and its sex differences in various diseases can lead to better therapeutic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parnian Shobeiri
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Children's Medical Center Hospital, Dr. Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd, 14194, Tehran, Iran.,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.,Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Gharib St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirali Kalantari
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Children's Medical Center Hospital, Dr. Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd, 14194, Tehran, Iran.,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Antônio L Teixeira
- Neuropsychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran. .,Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Gharib St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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15
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Fusco F, Perottoni S, Giordano C, Riva A, Iannone LF, De Caro C, Russo E, Albani D, Striano P. The microbiota‐gut‐brain axis and epilepsy from a multidisciplinary perspective: clinical evidence and technological solutions for improvement of
in vitro
preclinical models. Bioeng Transl Med 2022; 7:e10296. [PMID: 35600638 PMCID: PMC9115712 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Fusco
- Dipartimento di Chimica, materiali e ingegneria chimica "Giulio Natta" Politecnico di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Simone Perottoni
- Dipartimento di Chimica, materiali e ingegneria chimica "Giulio Natta" Politecnico di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Carmen Giordano
- Dipartimento di Chimica, materiali e ingegneria chimica "Giulio Natta" Politecnico di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Antonella Riva
- Paediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini Genova Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health Università degli Studi di Genova Genova Italy
| | | | - Carmen De Caro
- Science of Health Department Magna Graecia University Catanzaro Italy
| | - Emilio Russo
- Science of Health Department Magna Graecia University Catanzaro Italy
| | - Diego Albani
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS Milan Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Paediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini Genova Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health Università degli Studi di Genova Genova Italy
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16
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Gut microbiome effects on neuronal excitability & activity: Implications for epilepsy. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 165:105629. [PMID: 35033659 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now well established that the bacterial population of the gastrointestinal system, known as the gut microbiome, is capable of influencing the brain and its dependent functions. Links have been demonstrated between the microbiome and a variety of normal and pathological neural functions, including epilepsy. Many of these microbiome-brain links involve the direct or indirect modulation of the excitability and activity of individual neurons by the gut microbiome. Such links may be particularly significant when it comes to microbiome modulation of epilepsy, often considered a disorder of neuronal excitability. In this review we consider the current evidence of a relationship between the gut microbiome and the excitability or activity of neurons in the context of epilepsy. The review focuses particularly on evidence of direct, causal microbiome effects on neuronal excitability or activity, but also considers demonstrations of microbiome to host interactions that are likely to have an indirect influence. While we identify a few common themes, it is apparent that deriving general mechanistic principles of microbiome influence on these parameters in epilepsy will require considerable further study to tease out the many interacting factors, systems, and conditions.
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17
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Lupori L, Cornuti S, Mazziotti R, Borghi E, Ottaviano E, Cas MD, Sagona G, Pizzorusso T, Tognini P. The gut microbiota of environmentally enriched mice regulates visual cortical plasticity. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110212. [PMID: 35021093 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposing animals to an enriched environment (EE) has dramatic effects on brain structure, function, and plasticity. The poorly known "EE-derived signals'' mediating the EE effects are thought to be generated within the central nervous system. Here, we shift the focus to the body periphery, revealing that gut microbiota signals are crucial for EE-driven plasticity. Developmental analysis reveals striking differences in intestinal bacteria composition between EE and standard rearing (ST) mice, as well as enhanced levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in EE mice. Depleting the microbiota of EE mice with antibiotics strongly decreases SCFA and prevents activation of adult ocular dominance plasticity, spine dynamics, and microglia rearrangement. SCFA treatment in ST mice mimics EE induction of ocular dominance plasticity and microglial remodeling. Remarkably, transferring the microbiota of EE mice to ST recipients activates adult ocular dominance plasticity. Thus, experience-dependent changes in gut microbiota regulate brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Cornuti
- BIO@SNS Lab, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Mazziotti
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisa Borghi
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20142 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Michele Dei Cas
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20142 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Sagona
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Tommaso Pizzorusso
- BIO@SNS Lab, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health NEUROFARBA University of Florence, 50100 Florence, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Tognini
- BIO@SNS Lab, Scuola Normale Superiore, 56126 Pisa, Italy; Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
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18
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Çalışkan G, French T, Enrile Lacalle S, Del Angel M, Steffen J, Heimesaat MM, Rita Dunay I, Stork O. Antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis leads to activation of microglia and impairment of cholinergic gamma oscillations in the hippocampus. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 99:203-217. [PMID: 34673174 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics are widely applied for the treatment of bacterial infections, but their long-term use may lead to gut flora dysbiosis and detrimental effects on brain physiology, behavior as well as cognitive performance. Still, a striking lack of knowledge exists concerning electrophysiological correlates of antibiotic-induced changes in gut microbiota and behavior. Here, we investigated changes in the synaptic transmission and plasticity together with behaviorally-relevant network activities from the hippocampus of antibiotic-treated mice. Prolonged antibiotic treatment led to a reduction of myeloid cell pools in bone marrow, circulation and those surveilling the brain. Circulating Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes adopted a proinflammatory phenotype with increased expression of CD40 and MHC II. In the central nervous system, microglia displayed a subtle activated phenotype with elevated CD40 and MHC II expression, increased IL-6 and TNF production as well as with an increased number of Iba1 + cells in the hippocampal CA3 and CA1 subregions. Concomitantly, we detected a substantial reduction in the synaptic transmission in the hippocampal CA1 after antibiotic treatment. In line, carbachol-induced cholinergic gamma oscillation were reduced upon antibiotic treatment while the incidence of hippocampal sharp waves was elevated. These alterations were associated with the global changes in the expression of neurotrophin nerve growth factor and inducible nitric oxide synthase, both of which have been shown to influence cholinergic system in the hippocampus. Overall, our study demonstrates that antibiotic-induced dysbiosis of the gut microbiome and subsequent alteration of the immune cell function are associated with reduced synaptic transmission and gamma oscillations in the hippocampus, a brain region that is critically involved in mediation of innate and cognitive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gürsel Çalışkan
- Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Timothy French
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | | | - Miguel Del Angel
- Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Steffen
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus M Heimesaat
- Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ildiko Rita Dunay
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Stork
- Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
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19
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Kim J, Kim DW, Lee A, Mason M, Jouroukhin Y, Woo H, Yolken RH, Pletnikov MV. Homeostatic regulation of neuronal excitability by probiotics in male germ-free mice. J Neurosci Res 2021; 100:444-460. [PMID: 34935171 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that probiotics can influence the gut-brain axis to ameliorate somatic and behavioral symptoms associated with brain disorders. However, whether probiotics have effects on the electrophysiological activities of individual neurons in the brain has not been evaluated at a single-neuron resolution, and whether the neuronal effects of probiotics depend on the gut microbiome status have yet to be tested. Thus, we conducted whole-cell patch-clamp recording-assisted electrophysiological characterizations of the neuronal effects of probiotics in male germ-free (GF) mice with and without gut microbiome colonization. Two weeks of treatment with probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium animalis) significantly and selectively increased the intrinsic excitability of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, whereas reconstituting gut microbiota in GF mice reversed the effects of the probiotics leading to a decreased intrinsic excitability in hippocampal neurons. This bidirectional modulation of neuronal excitability by probiotics was observed in hippocampal neurons with corresponding basal membrane property and action potential waveform changes. However, unlike the hippocampus, the amygdala excitatory neurons did not show any electrophysiological changes to the probiotic treatment in either GF or conventionalized GF mice. Our findings demonstrate for the first time how probiotic treatment can have a significant influence on the electrophysiological properties of neurons, bidirectionally modulating their intrinsic excitability in a gut microbiota and brain area-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhyun Kim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dong Won Kim
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adrian Lee
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Madisen Mason
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Yan Jouroukhin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hyewon Woo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Robert H Yolken
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mikhail V Pletnikov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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20
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Glinert A, Turjeman S, Elliott E, Koren O. Microbes, metabolites and (synaptic) malleability, oh my! The effect of the microbiome on synaptic plasticity. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:582-599. [PMID: 34734461 PMCID: PMC9298272 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The microbiome influences the emotional and cognitive phenotype of its host, as well as the neurodevelopment and pathophysiology of various brain processes and disorders, via the well‐established microbiome–gut–brain axis. Rapidly accumulating data link the microbiome to severe neuropsychiatric disorders in humans, including schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Moreover, preclinical work has shown that perturbation of the microbiome is closely associated with social, cognitive and behavioural deficits. The potential of the microbiome as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool is currently undercut by a lack of clear mechanistic understanding of the microbiome–gut–brain axis. This review establishes the hypothesis that the mechanism by which this influence is carried out is synaptic plasticity – long‐term changes to the physical and functional neuronal structures that enable the brain to undertake learning, memory formation, emotional regulation and more. By examining the different constituents of the microbiome–gut–brain axis through the lens of synaptic plasticity, this review explores the diverse aspects by which the microbiome shapes the behaviour and mental wellbeing of the host. Key elements of this complex bi‐directional relationship include neurotransmitters, neuronal electrophysiology, immune mediators that engage with both the central and enteric nervous systems and signalling cascades that trigger long‐term potentiation of synapses. The importance of establishing mechanistic correlations along the microbiome–gut–brain axis cannot be overstated as they hold the potential for furthering current understanding regarding the vast fields of neuroscience and neuropsychiatry. This review strives to elucidate the promising theory of microbiome‐driven synaptic plasticity in the hope of enlightening current researchers and inspiring future ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayala Glinert
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, 8 Henrietta Szold, Safed, 1311502, Israel
| | - Sondra Turjeman
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, 8 Henrietta Szold, Safed, 1311502, Israel
| | - Evan Elliott
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, 8 Henrietta Szold, Safed, 1311502, Israel
| | - Omry Koren
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, 8 Henrietta Szold, Safed, 1311502, Israel
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21
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Tramullas M, Collins JM, Fitzgerald P, Dinan TG, O' Mahony SM, Cryan JF. Estrous cycle and ovariectomy-induced changes in visceral pain are microbiota-dependent. iScience 2021; 24:102850. [PMID: 34381975 PMCID: PMC8333168 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral hypersensitivity (VH) is a hallmark of many functional gastrointestinal disorders including irritable bowel syndrome and is categorized by a dull, diffuse sensation of abdominal pain. Recently, the gut microbiota has been implicated in VH in male mice, but the effects in females have yet to be explored fully. To this end, we now show that somewhat surprisingly, female germ-free mice have similar visceral pain responses to colorectal distension (CRD) as their conventional controls. However, we show that although sensitivity to CRD is estrous cycle stage-dependent in conventional mice, it is not in germ-free mice. Further, ovariectomy (OVX) induced VH in conventional but not germ-free mice, and induced weight gain regardless of microbiota status. Finally, we show that estrogen-replacement ameliorated OVX-induced VH. Taken together, this study provides evidence for a major role of female sex hormones and the gut microbiota in sensation of visceral pain in females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James M Collins
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Timothy G Dinan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Siobhain M O' Mahony
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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22
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Murciano-Brea J, Garcia-Montes M, Geuna S, Herrera-Rincon C. Gut Microbiota and Neuroplasticity. Cells 2021; 10:2084. [PMID: 34440854 PMCID: PMC8392499 DOI: 10.3390/cells10082084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulating evidence linking bacteria in the gut and neurons in the brain (the microbiota-gut-brain axis) has led to a paradigm shift in the neurosciences. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms supporting the relevance of actions mediated by the gut microbiota for brain physiology and neuronal functioning is a key research area. In this review, we discuss the literature showing how the microbiota is emerging as a key regulator of the brain's function and behavior, as increasing amounts of evidence on the importance of the bidirectional communication between the intestinal bacteria and the brain have accumulated. Based on recent discoveries, we suggest that the interaction between diet and the gut microbiota, which might ultimately affect the brain, represents an unprecedented stimulus for conducting new research that links food and mood. We also review the limited work in the clinical arena to date, and we propose novel approaches for deciphering the gut microbiota-brain axis and, eventually, for manipulating this relationship to boost mental wellness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Murciano-Brea
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Biomathematics Unit, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.M.-B.); (M.G.-M.)
- Modeling, Data Analysis and Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Martin Garcia-Montes
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Biomathematics Unit, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.M.-B.); (M.G.-M.)
- Modeling, Data Analysis and Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Stefano Geuna
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy;
| | - Celia Herrera-Rincon
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Biomathematics Unit, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.M.-B.); (M.G.-M.)
- Modeling, Data Analysis and Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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23
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Boehme M, Guzzetta KE, Bastiaanssen TFS, van de Wouw M, Moloney GM, Gual-Grau A, Spichak S, Olavarría-Ramírez L, Fitzgerald P, Morillas E, Ritz NL, Jaggar M, Cowan CSM, Crispie F, Donoso F, Halitzki E, Neto MC, Sichetti M, Golubeva AV, Fitzgerald RS, Claesson MJ, Cotter PD, O'Leary OF, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Microbiota from young mice counteracts selective age-associated behavioral deficits. NATURE AGING 2021; 1:666-676. [PMID: 37117767 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-021-00093-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as an important regulator of host immunity and brain health. The aging process yields dramatic alterations in the microbiota, which is linked to poorer health and frailty in elderly populations. However, there is limited evidence for a mechanistic role of the gut microbiota in brain health and neuroimmunity during aging processes. Therefore, we conducted fecal microbiota transplantation from either young (3-4 months) or old (19-20 months) donor mice into aged recipient mice (19-20 months). Transplant of a microbiota from young donors reversed aging-associated differences in peripheral and brain immunity, as well as the hippocampal metabolome and transcriptome of aging recipient mice. Finally, the young donor-derived microbiota attenuated selective age-associated impairments in cognitive behavior when transplanted into an aged host. Our results reveal that the microbiome may be a suitable therapeutic target to promote healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Boehme
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Katherine E Guzzetta
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Thomaz F S Bastiaanssen
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Gerard M Moloney
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Simon Spichak
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | | | | | - Nathaniel L Ritz
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Minal Jaggar
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Fiona Crispie
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
| | - Francisco Donoso
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Evelyn Halitzki
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marta C Neto
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marzia Sichetti
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Anna V Golubeva
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Rachel S Fitzgerald
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marcus J Claesson
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Paul D Cotter
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
| | - Olivia F O'Leary
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Timothy G Dinan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Gubert C, Hannan AJ. Plastic brains and gastrointestinal strains: The microbiota-gut-brain axis as a modulator of cellular plasticity and cognitive function (commentary on Darch et al., 2021). Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:5245-5248. [PMID: 34125456 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Gubert
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Darch HT, Collins MK, O'Riordan KJ, Cryan JF. Microbial memories: Sex-dependent impact of the gut microbiome on hippocampal plasticity. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:5235-5244. [PMID: 33458858 PMCID: PMC8451864 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Germ‐free rodents, raised in the absence of a measurable gut microbiome, have been a key model to study the microbiome‐gut‐brain axis. Germ‐free mice exhibit marked behavioural and neurochemical differences to their conventionally raised counterparts. It is as yet unclear how these neurochemical differences lead to the behavioural differences. Here, we test the electrophysiological properties of hippocampal plasticity in adult germ‐free mice and compare them to conventionally raised counterparts. Whilst basal synaptic efficacy and pre‐synaptic short‐term plasticity appear normal, we find a striking alteration of hippocampal long‐term potentiation specifically in male germ‐free slices. However, the spike output of these neurons remains normal along with altered input‐output coupling, potentially indicating homeostatic compensatory mechanisms, or an altered excitation/inhibition balance. To our knowledge this is the first time the electrophysiological properties of the hippocampus have been assessed in a microbiome deficient animal. Our data indicate that the absence of a microbiome alters integration of dendritic signalling in the CA1 region in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry T Darch
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | | | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Anatomy & Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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