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Published on: June 2, 2022
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Age-associated deficits in social behaviour are microbiota-dependent
Joana S Cruz-Pereira1, Gerard M Moloney1, Thomaz F S Bastiaanssen2
1Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
|February 15, 2023
Summary
Targeting the aged gut microbiome with antibiotics reversed social behavior deficits in mice. This suggests the gut microbiota plays a key role in age-related social impairments and immune system changes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Neuroscience
- Microbiome Research
Background:
- Aging is linked to immune system and central nervous system changes, leading to behavioral issues like social deficits.
- The gut microbiome composition changes with age, potentially influencing age-related physiological effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of gut microbiota depletion on aging-related social behavior and immune responses.
- To explore whether modulating the gut microbiome can alleviate age-associated deficits.
Main Methods:
- Aged mice were treated with an antibiotic cocktail to deplete their gut microbiota.
- Social recognition behavior, peripheral immune responses, T cell accumulation in the choroid plexus, and cecal metabolites were analyzed.
- Untargeted metabolomic analysis was performed on cecal contents.
Main Results:
- Microbiota depletion in aged mice abolished age-dependent deficits in social recognition.
- Aging and microbiota depletion differentially affected peripheral immune responses, but microbiota depletion partially reduced age-induced T cell accumulation in the choroid plexus.
- Age-related alterations in cecal metabolites were observed, and these were modified by microbiota depletion.
Conclusions:
- The aged gut microbiota contributes to age-related social deficits.
- Targeting the gut microbiota, specifically in aged individuals, offers a potential strategy to ameliorate social impairments.
- Further research into non-antibiotic microbiota interventions for age-related social deficits is warranted in both animal models and humans.
