Consumption of the Prebiotic-Rich Chicory Taproot Contrasts the Cognitive and Motivational Consequences of Chronic Corticosterone Exposure and Modulates Gut Microbiota Composition in Mice

IF 3.7 Q2 NEUROSCIENCES

Biological psychiatry global open science Pub Date : 2025-04-28 DOI:10.1016/j.bpsgos.2025.100520

Francesca Zoratto , Edoardo Pisa , Claudia Soldati , Martina Di Bartolomeo , Gabriele Paglialunga , Alessandro Piccinini , Marta Del Bianco , Stefano Moscatello , Simona Proietti , Stefano Lorenzetti , Paolo Colangelo , Claudio D’Addario , Alberto Battistelli , Simone Macrì

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The human gastrointestinal tract harbors trillions of microbes that act in synergy with the brain to regulate its homeostasis and function. This interplay holds promise for innovative dietary-based interventions to support cognitive and motivational processes or contrast their decline in disease. While probiotics have traditionally been used for such interventions, several limitations have hampered their suitability and incited interest in prebiotics. Fructans represent a valid prebiotic whereby they are abundant in several vegetables (e.g., chicory taproots) and increase short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production via fermentation by gut microbes. SCFAs have been reported to modulate gene expression in the brain via epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we investigated whether chicory taproots may represent a strategy to contrast cognitive and motivational impairments induced by chronic corticosterone administration.

Methods

To test our hypothesis, we exposed C57BL/6 male mice (n = 18 per group) to corticosterone supplementation in drinking water and provided them with a fructan-rich diet (regular diet enriched with dried chicory taproots).

Results

Consistent with our hypothesis, chicory taproot consumption promoted the growth of selected microbial species and increased SCFA concentrations. To verify the functional role of these modulations, using a comprehensive behavioral test battery, we observed that chicory taproots contrasted the cognitive and motivational consequences of chronic corticosterone exposure. These behavioral modifications were associated with a modulation of gene expression and its epigenetic regulators in brain regions relevant for cognition and motivation.

Conclusions

These results highlight the role of prebiotics in preserving higher-order brain functions and offer insights into their therapeutic potential.

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食用富含益生元的菊苣主根对比慢性皮质酮暴露的认知和动机后果，并调节小鼠肠道微生物群组成

人类胃肠道中有数万亿微生物，它们与大脑协同作用，调节大脑的稳态和功能。这种相互作用为基于饮食的创新干预提供了希望，以支持认知和动机过程，或对比它们在疾病中的下降。虽然益生菌传统上用于此类干预，但一些限制阻碍了它们的适用性，并激发了对益生菌的兴趣。果聚糖是一种有效的益生元，在几种蔬菜（如菊苣主根）中含量丰富，并通过肠道微生物发酵增加短链脂肪酸（SCFAs）的产生。据报道，scfa通过表观遗传机制调节大脑中的基因表达。在这里，我们研究了菊苣主根是否可以作为对比慢性皮质酮治疗引起的认知和动机障碍的一种策略。方法为了验证我们的假设，我们将C57BL/6雄性小鼠（每组18只）暴露于添加皮质酮的饮用水中，并提供富含果聚糖的饮食（富含干菊苣主根的常规饮食）。结果与我们的假设一致，食用菊苣主根促进了选定微生物物种的生长，并增加了SCFA浓度。为了验证这些调节的功能作用，使用综合行为测试电池，我们观察到菊苣主根对比了慢性皮质酮暴露的认知和动机后果。这些行为改变与大脑中与认知和动机相关区域的基因表达及其表观遗传调控的调节有关。结论这些结果突出了益生元在保持高阶脑功能方面的作用，并为其治疗潜力提供了新的见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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