Butyrate, neuroepigenetics and the gut microbiome: Can a high fiber diet improve brain health?

Abstract

As interest in the gut microbiome has grown in recent years, attention has turned to the impact of our diet on our brain. The benefits of a high fiber diet in the colon have been well documented in epidemiological studies, but its potential impact on the brain has largely been understudied. Here, we will review evidence that butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by bacterial fermentation of fiber in the colon, can improve brain health. Butyrate has been extensively studied as a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor but also functions as a ligand for a subset of G protein-coupled receptors and as an energy metabolite. These diverse modes of action make it well suited for solving the wide array of imbalances frequently encountered in neurological disorders. In this review, we will integrate evidence from the disparate fields of gastroenterology and neuroscience to hypothesize that the metabolism of a high fiber diet in the gut can alter gene expression in the brain to prevent neurodegeneration and promote regeneration.

The neuropharmacology of butyrate: The bread and butter of the microbiota-gut-brain axis?

“…A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 5 Butyrate, the anionic part of dissociated butyric acid and its salts, has been implicated in various host physiological functions including energy homeostasis, obesity, immune system regulation, cancer, and even brain function (Bourassa et al, 2016;Di Sabatino et al, 2005;Li, 2014). Yet, the molecular mechanisms mediating these functions may differ, ranging from metabolic effects to receptor signalling and enzymatic inhibition, and are not completely understood (Canani et al, 2011).…”

The Impact of Traditional Food and Lifestyle Behavior on Epigenetic Burden of Chronic Disease

“…[211] Consumption of higher amounts of dietary fiber has been linked with a distinct gut microbiome often leading to production of higher amounts of butyrate, which is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that could potentially induce epigenetic modifications. [227,228] There is evidence that short chain fatty acids (SCFA) like butyrate can be absorbed after production in the gut, [229] thereby potentially reaching the placenta and growing fetus in pregnant women to induce placental histone modifications and possibly other epigenetic effects [230] and fetal epigenetic reprograming with consequently increased risk of adult NCCDs. [231] In general, dietary factors can influence the gut microbiota through promoting the preferential growth of some microbiota over others, with resultant production of metabolites such as SCFA and methyl donors that circulate through the blood to reach their target organs and induce DNA methylation changes or histone modifications.…”

Dietary ALoe vera gel and Microbiota Interactions: Influence of Butyrate and Insulin Sensitivity

“…As interest in the gut microbiome has grown in recent years, attention has turned to the impact of our diet on our brain. Bourassa MW group [23] reviewed butyrate produced by bacterial fermentation of fiber in the colon, can improve brain health. Butyrate has been extensively studied as a HDAC inhibitor but also functions as a ligand for a subset of G protein-coupled receptors and as an energy metabolite.…”