Gut microbiome and metabolic pathways linked to sleep quality

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Sleep science
• Human health

Background:

• Sleep quality is crucial for health, with disorders linked to cognitive issues and chronic health problems.
• Previous gut microbiome and sleep studies had limitations like small sample sizes, leading to inconsistent findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between gut microbial composition and sleep quality in a Korean cohort.
• To identify specific microbial and metabolic signatures associated with varying sleep quality.

Main Methods:

• 16S rRNA sequencing for gut microbiome analysis.
• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire for sleep quality assessment.
• Analysis of microbial diversity (alpha and beta) and differential abundance.

Main Results:

• No significant correlation found between microbial alpha diversity and sleep quality.
• Distinct beta diversity patterns observed between good and poor sleep quality groups (PSQI ≤5 vs. >5).
• Differential abundance of Bacteroides, Prevotella 9, and Faecalibacterium identified. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii showed a strong linear association with sleep quality scores and status.

Conclusions:

• Gut microbiome composition, especially Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, is associated with sleep quality in Koreans.
• Specific metabolic pathways (L-arginine, L-tryptophan biosynthesis, 4-aminobutanoate degradation) correlate with sleep status.
• Findings support exploring gut microbiome-targeted therapies for sleep regulation and disorders.