Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Health and Disease, and Future Therapies

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Gut Microbiota".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 12200

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
National Coalition of Independent Scholars, 125 Putney Rd., Battleboro, VT 05301, USA
Interests: gut microbiota in health and disease; microbiota-gut-brain axis; maternal perinatal microbiota and neurodevelopmental disorders

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The saying “mens sana in corpore sano” is reflected in the concept of Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (MGB) axis — a bidirectional communication between microorganisms in the gut and brain functions. The MGB axis, which  was initially observed in animal data linking gut microbiota with behavior, is increasingly supported by clinical data linking gut dysbiosis with neuropsychiatric disorders.

The recognition of the GBM axis opens new avenues for the therapeutic use of probiotics, potentially revolutionizing the management of mental health. However, to utilize probiotics in therapeutic applications for neuropsychiatric treatments, it is necessary to achieve a better understanding of various factors in the dynamic interaction between microbiota and the adaptive nature of brain structure and function.

Gut microbiota status is determined by age and gender, and is impacted by many environmental factors, such as diet, population density, and diseases, including infections. The premise presented herein is that neuropsychiatric disorders are associated with specific alterations in gut microbiota.

This Special Issue hopes to bring together research that examines MGB axis activity in several neuropsychiatric disorders during: (1) development; (2) adolescence; (3) adulthood; and (4) aging, taking into account gender and coexisting pathologies, and probing the underlying mechanisms.

Prof. Dr. Elzbieta M. Sajdel-Sulkowska
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2992 KiB  
Article
Translocation and Dissemination of Gut Bacteria after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
by Weijian Yang, Qiang Yuan, Zhiqi Li, Zhuoying Du, Gang Wu, Jian Yu and Jin Hu
Microorganisms 2022, 10(10), 2082; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10102082 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1763
Abstract
Enterobacteriaceae are often found in the lungs of patients with severe Traumatic Brain Injury (sTBI). However, it is unknown whether these bacteria come from the gut microbiota. To investigate this hypothesis, the mice model of sTBI was used in this study. After sTBI, [...] Read more.
Enterobacteriaceae are often found in the lungs of patients with severe Traumatic Brain Injury (sTBI). However, it is unknown whether these bacteria come from the gut microbiota. To investigate this hypothesis, the mice model of sTBI was used in this study. After sTBI, Chao1 and Simpson index peaking at 7 d in the lungs (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Acinetobacter in the lungs increased to 16.26% at 7 d after sTBI. The chao1 index of gut microbiota increased after sTBI and peaked at 7 d (p < 0.05). Three hours after sTBI, the conditional pathogens such as Lachnoclostridium, Acinetobacter, Bacteroides and Streptococcus grew significantly. At 7 d and 14 d, the histology scores in the sTBI group were significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.05). The myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity increased at all-time points after sTBI and peaked at 7 d (p < 0.05). The LBP and sCD14 peaking 7 d after sTBI (p < 0.05). The Zonulin increased significantly at 3 d after sTBI and maintained the high level (p < 0.05). SourceTracker identified that the lung tissue microbiota reflects 49.69% gut source at 7 d after sTBI. In the small intestine, sTBI induced gastrointestinal dysfunction with increased apoptosis and decreasing antimicrobial peptides. There was a negative correlation between gut conditional pathogens and the expression level of antimicrobial peptides in Paneth cells. Our data indicate that gut bacteria translocated to the lungs after sTBI, and Paneth cells may regulate gut microbiota stability and translocation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Health and Disease, and Future Therapies)
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15 pages, 2361 KiB  
Article
Specific Changes in the Mammalian Gut Microbiome as a Biomarker for Oxytocin-Induced Behavioral Changes
by Itzhak Dangoor, Dušanka Stanić, Leah Reshef, Vesna Pešić and Uri Gophna
Microorganisms 2021, 9(9), 1938; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9091938 - 12 Sep 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2996
Abstract
Prolonged exposure to psychiatric pharmacological agents is often associated with marked gastrointestinal phenomena, including changes in food intake, bowel motility, gastric emptying, and transit time. Those changes are reflected in the gut microbiota composition of the patient and can, therefore, be objectively measured. [...] Read more.
Prolonged exposure to psychiatric pharmacological agents is often associated with marked gastrointestinal phenomena, including changes in food intake, bowel motility, gastric emptying, and transit time. Those changes are reflected in the gut microbiota composition of the patient and can, therefore, be objectively measured. This is in contrast to the standard psychiatric evaluation of patients, which includes symptoms that are subjectively assessed (i.e., mood, anxiety level, perception, thought disorders, etc.). The association between a drug’s effect on the microbiota and psychiatric symptoms may allow for quantifiable surrogate markers of treatment effectiveness. Changes in the levels of specific drug-sensitive bacterial species can, thus, potentially serve as biomarkers for the intake and effectiveness of psychiatric drugs. Here, we show substantial microbiota changes that were associated with oxytocin administration and the decreased anxiety/depression-like behaviors it conferred in a rat model of corticosterone-induced stress. Compared with oxytocin, citalopram produced more minor effects on the rats’ microbiota. Alterations in the gut microbiota may, therefore, reflect the consumption and effectiveness of some psychiatric drugs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Health and Disease, and Future Therapies)
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Review

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19 pages, 3230 KiB  
Review
The Impact of Maternal Gut Microbiota during Pregnancy on Fetal Gut–Brain Axis Development and Life-Long Health Outcomes
by Elizabeth M. Sajdel-Sulkowska
Microorganisms 2023, 11(9), 2199; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms11092199 - 31 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3302
Abstract
Gut microbiota plays a critical role in physiological regulation throughout life and is specifically modified to meet the demands of individual life stages and during pregnancy. Maternal gut microbiota is uniquely adapted to the pregnancy demands of the mother and the developing fetus. [...] Read more.
Gut microbiota plays a critical role in physiological regulation throughout life and is specifically modified to meet the demands of individual life stages and during pregnancy. Maternal gut microbiota is uniquely adapted to the pregnancy demands of the mother and the developing fetus. Both animal studies in pregnant germ-free rodents and human studies have supported a critical association between the composition of maternal microbiota during pregnancy and fetal development. Gut microbiota may also contribute to the development of the fetal gut–brain axis (GBA), which is increasingly recognized for its critical role in health and disease. Most studies consider birth as the time of GBA activation and focus on postnatal GBA development. This review focuses on GBA development during the prenatal period and the impact of maternal gut microbiota on fetal GBA development. It is hypothesized that adaptation of maternal gut microbiota to pregnancy is critical for the GBA prenatal development and maturation of GBA postnatally. Consequently, factors affecting maternal gut microbiota during pregnancy, such as maternal obesity, diet, stress and depression, infection, and medication, also affect fetal GBA development and are critical for GBA activity postnatally. Altered maternal gut microbiota during gestation has been shown to have long-term impact postnatally and multigenerational effects. Thus, understanding the impact of maternal gut microbiota during pregnancy on fetal GBA development is crucial for managing fetal, neonatal, and adult health, and should be included among public health priorities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Health and Disease, and Future Therapies)
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16 pages, 371 KiB  
Review
The Gut Microbiome May Help Address Mental Health Disparities in Hispanics: A Narrative Review
by Fernando Vera-Urbina, María F. Dos Santos-Torres, Filipa Godoy-Vitorino and Bianca A. Torres-Hernández
Microorganisms 2022, 10(4), 763; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms10040763 - 31 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3267
Abstract
The gut–brain axis is the biological connection between the enteric and the central nervous systems. Given the expansion of the microbial sciences with the new human microbiome field facilitated by the decrease in sequencing costs, we now know more about the role of [...] Read more.
The gut–brain axis is the biological connection between the enteric and the central nervous systems. Given the expansion of the microbial sciences with the new human microbiome field facilitated by the decrease in sequencing costs, we now know more about the role of gut microbiota in human health. In this short review, particular focus is given to the gut–brain axis and its role in psychiatric diseases such as anxiety and depression. Additionally, factors that contribute to changes in the gut–brain axis, including the gut microbiome, nutrition, the host’s genome, and ethnic difference, are highlighted. Emphasis is given to the lack of studies on Hispanic populations, despite the fact this ethnic group has a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression in the US. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Health and Disease, and Future Therapies)
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