1.
Electrophysiological approaches to unravel the neurobiological basis of appetite and satiety: use of the multielectrode array as a screening strategy.
Shaban, H, O'Connor, R, Ovsepian, SV, Dinan, TG, Cryan, JF, Schellekens, H
Drug discovery today. 2017;(1):31-42
Abstract
Hypothalamic neural circuits are recognised as primary sites of the neuromodulator effect of homeostatic food intake, whereas changes in ventral tegmental area (VTA), hippocampus and amygdala have been implicated in the hedonic, cognitive and emotional aspects of eating. Here, we discuss synaptic transmission and plasticity within brain circuits governing appetite and food intake behaviour, focusing on the metabolic hormones ghrelin and leptin. We discuss functional changes within these circuitries and critically assess the applicability of electrophysiological measurements using in vitro multielectrode array (MEA) systems to identify novel appetite modulators. Stringent validation of functional assays to screen neuroactive substrates is of crucial importance for the discovery of novel food intake modulators, with major implications for the nutraceutical food industry and drug development.
2.
The microbiota-gut-brain axis in obesity.
Torres-Fuentes, C, Schellekens, H, Dinan, TG, Cryan, JF
The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology. 2017;(10):747-756
Abstract
Changes in microbial diversity and composition are increasingly associated with several disease states including obesity and behavioural disorders. Obesity-associated microbiota alter host energy harvesting, insulin resistance, inflammation, and fat deposition. Additionally, intestinal microbiota can regulate metabolism, adiposity, homoeostasis, and energy balance as well as central appetite and food reward signalling, which together have crucial roles in obesity. Moreover, some strains of bacteria and their metabolites might target the brain directly via vagal stimulation or indirectly through immune-neuroendocrine mechanisms. Therefore, the gut microbiota is becoming a target for new anti-obesity therapies. Further investigations are needed to elucidate the intricate gut-microbiota-host relationship and the potential of gut-microbiota-targeted strategies, such as dietary interventions and faecal microbiota transplantation, as promising metabolic therapies that help patients to maintain a healthy weight throughout life.
3.
Feeding the microbiota-gut-brain axis: diet, microbiome, and neuropsychiatry.
Sandhu, KV, Sherwin, E, Schellekens, H, Stanton, C, Dinan, TG, Cryan, JF
Translational research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine. 2017;:223-244
Abstract
The microbial population residing within the human gut represents one of the most densely populated microbial niche in the human body with growing evidence showing it playing a key role in the regulation of behavior and brain function. The bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the brain, the microbiota-gut-brain axis, occurs through various pathways including the vagus nerve, the immune system, neuroendocrine pathways, and bacteria-derived metabolites. This axis has been shown to influence neurotransmission and the behavior that are often associated with neuropsychiatric conditions. Therefore, research targeting the modulation of this gut microbiota as a novel therapy for the treatment of various neuropsychiatric conditions is gaining interest. Numerous factors have been highlighted to influence gut microbiota composition, including genetics, health status, mode of birth, and environment. However, it is diet composition and nutritional status that has repeatedly been shown to be one of the most critical modifiable factors regulating the gut microbiota at different time points across the lifespan and under various health conditions. Thus the microbiota is poised to play a key role in nutritional interventions for maintaining brain health.