Early preterm infant microbiome impacts adult learning

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Neurodevelopmental science
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Preterm infants face risks of neurodevelopmental deficits, including impaired memory and learning.
• The gut microbiome influences host behavior, suggesting a potential link to neurodevelopment.
• Early life microbial colonization is crucial for infant development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between early infant microbiome maturation and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
• To determine if colonizing germ-free mice with preterm infant microbiomes influences cognitive functions.
• To explore the role of microbial metabolites and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Germ-free mice were colonized at birth with human preterm infant microbiomes.
• Microbiome composition, diversity, and metabolite profiles were analyzed.
• Neurodevelopmental outcomes, including associative learning, memory, locomotor activity, anxiety, and social interaction, were assessed in adult mice.
• Brain glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor levels were measured.

Main Results:

• Microbiome colonization with preterm infant samples showed increased bacterial diversity and taxa shifts mirroring human preterm microbiome development.
• Microbiome maturation correlated with enhanced associative learning and memory in adult mice.
• No significant effects were observed on locomotor ability, anxiety-like behaviors, or social interaction.
• Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor increased with microbiome maturation and was associated with improved learning and memory.

Conclusions:

• Maturation of the preterm infant microbiome in early life primes adult associative memory and learning.
• These findings highlight a critical window for early microbiome intervention to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.