Interaction of Gut Microbiota and Brain Function in Patients With Chronic Insomnia: A Regional Homogeneity Study

Frontiers in Neuroscience

Mengchen Liu¹  Ying Feng¹  Xiaofen Ma¹  Yunfan Wu¹  Feng Chen¹  Jiaying Zhu¹  Hang Liu¹  Guomin Li¹  Shishun Fu¹  Zhihong Lan²  Cheng Li³  Guihua Jiang⁴ 

[1] Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China;Department of Medical Imaging, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai, China;Guangdong Traditional Medical and Sports Injury Rehabilitation Research Institute, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China;The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China;

关键词: gut microbiota;    chronic insomnia;    functional magnetic resonance imaging;    resting-state;    regional homogeneity;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fnins.2021.804843

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Recent studies have shown that the human gut microbiota (GM) plays a critical role in brain function and behavior via the complex microbiome–gut–brain axis. However, knowledge about the underlying relationship between the GM and changes in brain function in patients with chronic insomnia (CI) is still very limited. In this prospective study, 31 CI patients and 30 healthy controls were recruited. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed and brain functional alterations in CI patients were evaluated using the regional homogeneity (ReHo) method. We collected fecal samples of CI patients and used 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing to assess the relative abundance (RA) and alpha diversity of the GM. We also performed extensive sleep, mood, and cognitive assessments. Then, we tested for potential associations between the GM profile, ReHo alterations, and neuropsychological changes in CI patients. Our results showed associations between the RA of Lactobacilli, ReHo values in the left fusiform gyrus, and depression scores in CI patients. We also found some bacterial genera related to ReHo values of the right triangular inferior frontal gyrus. In addition, the RA of genus Coprobacter was correlated with ReHo values of the left angular gyrus and with specific cognitive performance. These findings revealed complex relationships between GM, brain function, and behavior in patients with CI.

【 授权许可】

Unknown