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Colitis reduces active social engagement in mice and is ameliorated by supplementation with human microbiota members
Numerous neurological conditions exhibit gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, it remains uncertain if GI discomfort itself can influence behavior. This study by Brown et al. (2024) reveals that mice subjected to recurrent colitis display impaired social interaction despite the absence of colitis symptoms. The authors investigated whether individuals with ASD host a microbiota that could differentially affect GI health by conducting microbiota transplantation experiments in male germ-free animals, followed by colitis induction. Animals harboring ASD-associated microbiota show exacerbated gut issues compared to those with microbiota from neurotypical controls. Blautia species are enriched in all neurotypical controls, while increased Bacteroides uniformis levels correlate with reduced intestinal damage. Oral administration of these microbes mitigates colon injury in mice. Providing a Blautia isolate from a neurotypical individual also improves gut injury-related social behavior in mice. The study’s findings demonstrate that prior gut distress is linked to alterations in social behavior in mice, which can be improved through supplementation with specific members of the human microbiota. [NPID: Neurological disorders, gastrointestinal symptoms, autism spectrum disorder, colitis, microbiota transplantation, social behavior, gut health]
Year: 2024
