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Dissecting the Association between Gut Microbiota and Brain Structure Change Rate: A Two-Sample Bidirectional
Huimei Huang1, Shiqiang Cheng2, Xuena Yang2
1Department of Nephrology, Xi'an Children's Hospital, The Affiliated Children's Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710003, China.
Nutrients
|October 14, 2023
Summary
This study used Mendelian randomization to investigate the gut microbiome
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Microbiology
- Genetics
Background:
- The gut microbiota-brain axis is complex and not fully understood.
- Longitudinal brain structure changes occur across the lifespan.
- Bidirectional causality requires robust investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine bidirectional causality between gut microbiota and brain structure changes.
- To investigate age-independent and age-dependent brain structure alterations.
- To explore lifespan changes in brain structure related to gut bacteria.
Main Methods:
- Mendelian randomization (MR) study design.
- Utilized large datasets for gut microbiota (N=18,340) and brain structure (N=15,640).
- Analyzed 211 gut microbial taxa and longitudinal brain structure changes (ages 4-99).
Main Results:
- Identified causal links between specific gut bacteria and brain structure.
- Family *Peptostreptococcaceae* associated with cortical gray matter volume changes.
- Genus *Faecalibacterium* linked to cortical thickness and gray matter volume.
- Genus *Lachnospiraceae* showed causal relationships with brain surface area.
Conclusions:
- Gut microbiota composition causally influences brain structure across the lifespan.
- Findings provide a foundation for understanding gut-brain interactions.
- Potential implications for genetic mechanisms and treatments of related diseases.
