Alexander L Carlson1, Kai Xia2, M Andrea Azcarate-Peril3, Barbara D Goldman4, Mihye Ahn5, Martin A Styner6, Amanda L Thompson7, Xiujuan Geng8, John H Gilmore2, Rebecca C Knickmeyer9. 1. Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 2. Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 3. Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Microbiome Core Facility, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 4. Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 5. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada. 6. Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 7. Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 8. Department of Psychology Lab of Neuropsychology and Lab of Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; State Key Lab of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. 9. Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Electronic address: rebecca_knickmeyer@med.unc.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Studies in rodents provide compelling evidence that microorganisms inhabiting the gut influence neurodevelopment. In particular, experimental manipulations that alter intestinal microbiota impact exploratory and communicative behaviors and cognitive performance. In humans, the first years of life are a dynamic time in gut colonization and brain development, but little is known about the relationship between these two processes. METHODS: We tested whether microbial composition at 1 year of age is associated with cognitive outcomes using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning and with global and regional brain volumes using structural magnetic resonance imaging at 1 and 2 years of age. Fecal samples were collected from 89 typically developing 1-year-olds. 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing was used for identification and relative quantification of bacterial taxa. RESULTS: Cluster analysis identified 3 groups of infants defined by their bacterial composition. Mullen scores at 2 years of age differed significantly between clusters. In addition, higher alpha diversity was associated with lower scores on the overall composite score, visual reception scale, and expressive language scale at 2 years of age. Exploratory analyses of neuroimaging data suggest the gut microbiome has minimal effects on regional brain volumes at 1 and 2 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate associations between the gut microbiota and cognition in human infants. As such, it represents an essential first step in translating animal data into the clinic.
BACKGROUND: Studies in rodents provide compelling evidence that microorganisms inhabiting the gut influence neurodevelopment. In particular, experimental manipulations that alter intestinal microbiota impact exploratory and communicative behaviors and cognitive performance. In humans, the first years of life are a dynamic time in gut colonization and brain development, but little is known about the relationship between these two processes. METHODS: We tested whether microbial composition at 1 year of age is associated with cognitive outcomes using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning and with global and regional brain volumes using structural magnetic resonance imaging at 1 and 2 years of age. Fecal samples were collected from 89 typically developing 1-year-olds. 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing was used for identification and relative quantification of bacterial taxa. RESULTS: Cluster analysis identified 3 groups of infants defined by their bacterial composition. Mullen scores at 2 years of age differed significantly between clusters. In addition, higher alpha diversity was associated with lower scores on the overall composite score, visual reception scale, and expressive language scale at 2 years of age. Exploratory analyses of neuroimaging data suggest the gut microbiome has minimal effects on regional brain volumes at 1 and 2 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate associations between the gut microbiota and cognition in humaninfants. As such, it represents an essential first step in translating animal data into the clinic.
Authors: Sabine J Roza; Tamara van Batenburg-Eddes; Eric A P Steegers; Vincent W V Jaddoe; Johan P Mackenbach; Albert Hofman; Frank C Verhulst; Henning Tiemeier Journal: Br J Nutr Date: 2009-09-22 Impact factor: 3.718
Authors: Shaillay Dogra; Olga Sakwinska; Shu-E Soh; Catherine Ngom-Bru; Wolfram M Brück; Bernard Berger; Harald Brüssow; Neerja Karnani; Yung Seng Lee; Fabian Yap; Yap-Seng Chong; Keith M Godfrey; Joanna D Holbrook Journal: Gut Microbes Date: 2015-08-20
Authors: Joseph D Planer; Yangqing Peng; Andrew L Kau; Laura V Blanton; I Malick Ndao; Phillip I Tarr; Barbara B Warner; Jeffrey I Gordon Journal: Nature Date: 2016-05-25 Impact factor: 49.962
Authors: Gabrielle L Davidson; Amy C Cooke; Crystal N Johnson; John L Quinn Journal: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci Date: 2018-09-26 Impact factor: 6.237
Authors: R F Slykerman; C Coomarasamy; K Wickens; J M D Thompson; T V Stanley; C Barthow; J Kang; J Crane; E A Mitchell Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2019-04-30 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Jessica Flannery; Bridget Callaghan; Thomas Sharpton; Philip Fisher; Jennifer Pfeifer Journal: Dev Psychobiol Date: 2019-01-28 Impact factor: 3.038
Authors: Wei Gao; Andrew P Salzwedel; Alexander L Carlson; Kai Xia; M Andrea Azcarate-Peril; Martin A Styner; Amanda L Thompson; Xiujuan Geng; Barbara D Goldman; John H Gilmore; Rebecca C Knickmeyer Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2019-01-02 Impact factor: 4.530