Researchers of a recent study published in Gut explored gut microbial involvement in food addiction-related processes. Uncontrolled food consumption can lead to obesity and gut microbial alterations. Brain changes associated with behavioral disorders impact the gut microbiome, and gut microorganisms influence brain areas involved in behavioral regulation.
Recent research on gut microbiome profiles linked to addictive eating has sparked interest; however, studies predominantly included rodents, underscoring the scarcity of translational research to confirm human findings using animal models. In the present study, researchers examined the functional role of gut bacteria in food addiction and uncontrolled eating. C57Bl/6J mice were subjected to operant food addiction procedures for six reinforcement sessions using the fixed ratio (FR) 1 and 92 regular FR5 sessions.
The researchers used the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) to assess food addiction among mice and humans. They functionally confirmed the importance of Blautia microbes, which are most differently expressed among addicted murine and human populations, by providing non-digestible-type carbohydrates such as rhamnose and lactulose and examining their fecal microbiome. They also used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) gene expression in the mouse food addiction technique to validate its functionality with Blautia therapy.
Genes evaluated included dopamine receptor type 1 (DRD-1), DRD-2, tyrosine hydroxylase, an.