Exploring the links between gut microbiota and excitatory and inhibitory brain processes in alcohol use disorder: A TMS study
Neuropharmacology. 2023-03-01; 225: 109384
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109384
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Quoilin C(1), Amadieu C(2), Fievez F(1), Delzenne NM(3), de Timary P(4), Duque J(1), Leclercq S(5).
Author information:
(1)Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels,
Belgium.
(2)Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels,
Belgium; Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research
Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
(3)Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute,
Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
(4)Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels,
Belgium; Department of Adult Psychiatry, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc,
Brussels, Belgium.
(5)Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels,
Belgium; Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research
Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic
address: .
While the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behavior is increasingly
recognized, human studies examining this question are still scarce. The primary
objective of the current study was to explore the potential relationships
between the gut microbiota composition, motor cortical excitability at rest and
during inhibitory control, as well as behavioral inhibition, in healthy
volunteers and in patients suffering from alcohol use disorder. Motor cortical
excitability was examined using a range of transcranial magnetic stimulation
(TMS) measures probed at rest, including the recruitment curve, short and long
intracortical inhibition, and intracortical facilitation within the primary
motor cortex. Moreover, TMS was applied during a choice reaction time task to
assess changes in motor excitability associated with inhibitory control.
Finally, behavioral inhibition was investigated using a neuropsychological task
(anti-saccade). Overall, our results highlight several interesting correlations
between microbial composition and brain measures. Hence, higher bacterial
diversity, as well as higher relative abundances of UGC-002 and
Christensenellaceae R-7 group were correlated with stronger changes in motor
excitability associated with inhibitory control. Also, higher abundance of
Anaerostipes was associated with higher level of corticospinal excitability.
Finally, relative abundances of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium were
positively related to performance in the neuropsychological task, suggesting
that they might have a positive impact on behavioral inhibition. Although
correlation is not causation, the present study suggests that excitatory and
inhibitory brain processes might be related to gut microbiota composition. This
article is part of the Special Issue on ‘Microbiome & the Brain: Mechanisms &
Maladies’.
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors
declare no competing interests.