Cited by 185Gut microbiota and healthGastrointestinal motility and disordersFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

Brain structure and response to emotional stimuli as related to gut microbial profiles in healthy women

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Tillisch, Kirsten, Mayer, Emeran A., Gupta, Arpana, Gill, Zafar, Brazeilles, Rémi, Le Nevé, Boris, van Hylckama Vlieg, Johan E.T., Guyonnet, Denis +2 more·2017·Psychosomatic Medicine

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Brain-gut-microbiota interactions may play an important role in human health and behavior. Although rodent models have demonstrated effects of the gut microbiota on emotional, nociceptive, and social behaviors, there is little translational human evidence to date. In this study, we identify brain and behavioral characteristics of healthy women clustered by gut microbiota profiles. METHODS: Forty women supplied fecal samples for 16S rRNA profiling. Microbial clusters were identified using Partitioning Around Medoids. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was acquired. Microbiota-based group differences were analyzed in response to affective images. Structural and diffusion tensor imaging provided gray matter metrics (volume, cortical thickness, mean curvature, surface area) as well as fiber density between regions. A sparse Partial Least Square-Discrimination Analysis was applied to discriminate microbiota clusters using white and gray matter metrics. RESULTS: Two bacterial genus-based clusters were identified, one with greater Bacteroides abundance (n = 33) and one with greater Prevotella abundance (n = 7). The Prevotella group showed less hippocampal activity viewing negative valences images. White and gray matter imaging discriminated the two clusters, with accuracy of 66.7% and 87.2%, respectively. The Prevotella cluster was associated with differences in emotional, attentional, and sensory processing regions. For gray matter, the Bacteroides cluster showed greater prominence in the cerebellum, frontal regions, and the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the concept of brain-gut-microbiota interactions in healthy humans. Further examination of the interaction between gut microbes, brain, and affect in humans is needed to inform preclinical reports that microbial modulation may affect mood and behavior.

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  • In healthy women, Bacteroides levels are associated with increased grey matter in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and frontal regions, and reduced anxiety, distress, and irritability.

    “in a study of healthy women, levels of Bacteroides, identified as the major microbial producers of GABA, were associated with increased grey matter in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and frontal regions of the brain, as well as reduced levels of anxiety, distress, and irritability (236).”

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  1. [24]Spielberger CD Gorsuch RL Lushene R Vagg PR Jacobs GA Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Palo Alto Consulting Psychologists Press 1983

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Authors
Tillisch, K., Mayer, E. A., Gupta, A., Gill, Z., Brazeilles, R., Le Nevé, B., van Hylckama Vlieg, J. E. T., Guyonnet, D., Derrien, M., & Labus, J. S.
Affiliations
University of California, Los Angeles (US)
Corresponding author
Tillisch, Kirsten
Venue
Psychosomatic Medicine
Published
2017-10
Volume
79
Issue
8
Pages
905-913
ISSN
  • 0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
  • 1534-7796
OpenAlex
W2730486832
Cited by
185
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 7
FWCI
7.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK048351, K23DK106528, P50DK064539, P30DK041301)
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (R01AT007137)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD076756)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
gut microbiota, emotional stimuli, emotional pictures, hippocampal activity, gray matter structure, white matter connectivity, Bacteroides, Prevotella, women, mood, attentional processes, cerebellum
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Adolescent, Adult, Affect, Bacteroides, Feces, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Middle Aged, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Prevotella, Young Adult, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, White Matter, Gray Matter

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