Cited by 720Gut microbiota and healthTryptophan and brain disordersGastrointestinal motility and disorders

Cognitive impairment by antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis: analysis of gut microbiota-brain communication

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Fröhlich, Esther E., Farzi, Aitak, Mayerhofer, Raphaela, Reichmann, Florian, Jačan, Angela, Wagner, Bernhard, Zinser, Erwin, Bordag, Natalie +5 more·2016·Brain Behavior and Immunity

Abstract

Emerging evidence indicates that disruption of the gut microbial community (dysbiosis) impairs mental health. Germ-free mice and antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis are two approaches to establish causality in gut microbiota-brain relationships. However, both models have limitations, as germ-free mice display alterations in blood-brain barrier and brain ultrastructure and antibiotics may act directly on the brain. We hypothesized that the concerns related to antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis can only adequately be addressed if the effect of intragastric treatment of adult mice with multiple antibiotics on (i) gut microbial community, (ii) metabolite profile in the colon, (iii) circulating metabolites, (iv) expression of neuronal signaling molecules in distinct brain areas and (v) cognitive behavior is systematically investigated. Of the antibiotics used (ampicillin, bacitracin, meropenem, neomycin, vancomycin), ampicillin had some oral bioavailability but did not enter the brain. 16S rDNA sequencing confirmed antibiotic-induced microbial community disruption, and metabolomics revealed that gut dysbiosis was associated with depletion of bacteria-derived metabolites in the colon and alterations of lipid species and converted microbe-derived molecules in the plasma. Importantly, novel object recognition, but not spatial, memory was impaired in antibiotic-treated mice. This cognitive deficit was associated with brain region-specific changes in the expression of cognition-relevant signaling molecules, notably brain-derived neurotrophic factor, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit 2B, serotonin transporter and neuropeptide Y system. We conclude that circulating metabolites and the cerebral neuropeptide Y system play an important role in the cognitive impairment and dysregulation of cerebral signaling molecules due to antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.02.020

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  • Antibiotic administration to laboratory animals has been shown to influence behaviors such as sociability and anxiety.

    “antibiotic administration to laboratory animals has been shown to influence behaviors such as sociability and anxiety (Degroote et al., 2016;Frohlich et al., 2016;Guida et al., 2018).”

    From The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (2019) · cites this paper as Frohlich et al., 2016

    The Discussion (page unavailable) explicitly says anxiety-like behavior was unchanged in the antibiotic-treated mice, contrary to the claim’s anxiety example. The Methods list no sociability test; the Results instead report impaired novel-object recognition memory. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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  • The cognitive deficit from antibiotic depletion might be associated with changes in the expression of cognition-relevant signaling molecules such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B, serotonin transporter, and the neuropeptide Y system.

    “This cognitive deficit might be associated with changes in the expression of cognition-relevant signaling molecules such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B, serotonin transporter and neuropeptide Y system (119).”
  • However, anxiety- or depression-like behaviors were unaffected in these animals.

    “However, anxiety-or depression-like behaviors were unaffected in these animals [25].”
  • Administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics alters tryptophan metabolism and expression of BDNF, NMDA receptor subunit 2B, serotonin transporter, neuropeptide Y, oxytocin, noradrenaline, and vasopressin.

    “Administration has been shown to alter tryptophan metabolism and BDNF, NMDA receptor subunit 2B, serotonin transporter, neuropeptide Y, oxytocin, noradrenaline, and vasopressin expression (382, 383).”
  • Antibiotic administration to adult mice causes cognitive deficits associated with brain region-specific changes in BDNF, NMDA receptor subunit 2B, serotonin transporter, and NPY.

    “Frohlich et al. administered antibiotics to adult mice and demonstrated that the resultant cognitive deficits were associated with brain region-specific changes in BDNF, NMDA receptor subunit 2B, serotonin transporter, and NPY (383).”

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Authors
Fröhlich, E. E., Farzi, A., Mayerhofer, R., Reichmann, F., Jačan, A., Wagner, B., Zinser, E., Bordag, N., Magnes, C., Fröhlich, E., Kashofer, K., Gorkiewicz, G., & Holzer, P.
Affiliations
  • Medical University of Graz (AT)
  • FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences (AT)
  • Center For Biomarker Research In Medicine (AT)
  • Joanneum Research (AT)
Corresponding author
  • Fröhlich, Esther E.
  • Holzer, Peter
Venue
Brain Behavior and Immunity
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-08
Volume
56
Pages
140-155
ISSN
0889-1591 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2277411172
Cited by
720
References
95
Citations by year
2026: 51 · 2025: 76 · 2024: 86 · 2023: 69 · 2022: 88 · 2021: 95 · 2020: 89 · 2019: 65 · 2018: 51 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 17
FWCI
28.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Brain Behavior and Immunity (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • FH JOANNEUM ePUB (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Austrian Science Fund (P25912-B23, W1241-B18)
  • Medical University of Graz
  • Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology
  • Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy
  • Land Steiermark
  • Styrian Business Promotion Agency
  • Vienna Business Agency
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
Keywords
antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis, gut-brain axis, cognitive impairment, novel object recognition memory, circulating metabolites, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, NMDA receptor subunit 2B, serotonin transporter, ampicillin, germ-free mice, brain region-specific gene expression, gut microbiota metabolites
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Animals, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Brain, Colon, Disease Models, Animal, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Recognition, Psychology, Mice, Metabolomics, Cognitive Dysfunction, Dysbiosis, Spatial Memory

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