Multivariate associative patterns between the gut microbiota and large-scale brain network connectivity

Abstract

Research on the gut-brain axis has accelerated substantially over the course of the last years. Many reviews have outlined the important implications of understanding the relation of the gut microbiota with human brain function and behavior. One substantial drawback in integrating gut microbiome and brain data is the lack of integrative multivariate approaches that enable capturing variance in both modalities simultaneously. To address this issue, we applied a linked independent component analysis (LICA) to microbiota and brain connectivity data. We analyzed data from 58 healthy females (mean age=21.5 years). Magnetic Resonance Imaging data were acquired using resting state functional imaging data. The assessment of gut microbial composition from feces was based on sequencing of the V4 16S rRNA gene region. We used the LICA model to simultaneously factorize the subjects' large-scale brain networks and microbiome relative abundance data into 10 independent components of spatial and abundance variation. LICA decomposition resulted in four components with non-marginal contribution of the microbiota data. The default mode network featured strongly in three components, whereas the two-lateralized fronto-parietal attention networks contributed to one component. The executive-control (with the default mode) network was associated to another component. We found the abundance of Prevotella genus was associated to the strength of expression of all networks, whereas Bifidobacterium was associated with the default mode and frontoparietal-attention networks. We provide the first exploratory evidence for multivariate associative patterns between the gut microbiota and brain network connectivity in healthy humans, taking into account the complexity of both systems.

The effects of probiotics on risk and time preferences

“…Amongst the studies with healthy participants, relevant findings were obtained with the use of brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). For example, it was identified that the Bifidobacterium concentration is positively correlated with the increasing connectivity of the frontal nodes of the default mode network, while the prevalence of Prevotella_9 and Bacteroides is negatively correlated 20 . It was also shown that participants who received probiotics, compared to a control group, had decreased functional connectivity between the frontal pole and frontal medial-cortex during resting-state fMRI 12 , as well as a significant reduction in brain activity in sensory and affective regions, such as the insula, and increased activity in cortical regulatory regions, such as the DLPFC and MPFC, during a standardized emotional face recognition task 28 .…”

A gut feeling: how your gut and brain changes your risk and time preferences

“…Fewer studies have explored the effects of GBA on healthy participants 8 . Nevertheless, the results thus far presented con rm the correlation between the variability of the complex gut environment and high-level brain activity 9,10,23,28,29 . A recent study explored the multivariate associative patterns between gut microbiota composition and large-scale brain network connectivity 29 .…”

“…Nevertheless, the results thus far presented con rm the correlation between the variability of the complex gut environment and high-level brain activity 9,10,23,28,29 . A recent study explored the multivariate associative patterns between gut microbiota composition and large-scale brain network connectivity 29 . It identi ed that the Bi dobacterium concentration is positively correlated with the increasing connectivity of the frontal nodes of the default mode network, while the prevalence of Prevotella_9 and Bacteroides is negatively correlated with connectivity 29 .…”

“…The VMPFC is a potential candidate for this role, considering that it is believed to be the hub for somatic information, integrating this type of information during decision-making processing 32 . Moreover, according to studies using neuroimaging, the prolonged use of probiotics leads to differential activation in this same area 12,29,42 . Moreover, the communication between the gut and the brain during decision-making is still unclear 8 .…”

“…A recent study explored the multivariate associative patterns between gut microbiota composition and large-scale brain network connectivity 29 . It identi ed that the Bi dobacterium concentration is positively correlated with the increasing connectivity of the frontal nodes of the default mode network, while the prevalence of Prevotella_9 and Bacteroides is negatively correlated with connectivity 29 . Other relevant ndings appear in studies using probiotics to investigate the effects of changes in the gut microbiota on brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) 27 .…”