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Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Intracerebroventricular Delivery of Gut-Derived Microbial Metabolites in Freely Moving Mice
Published on: June 2, 2022
Does the Gut Microbiota Contribute to Obesity? Going beyond the Gut Feeling
Marisol Aguirre1,2,3, Koen Venema4,5
1Top Institute of Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Marisol.aguirremorales@tno.nl.
Abstract:
Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota is an environmental factor that plays a crucial role in obesity. However, the aetiology of obesity is rather complex and depends on different factors. Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus about the exact role that this microbial community plays in the host. The aim of this review is to present evidence about what has been characterized, compositionally and functionally, as obese gut microbiota. In addition, the different reasons explaining the so-far unclear role are discussed considering evidence from in vitro, animal and human studies.
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