Scientists have recently identified specific gut bacteria responsible for compulsive eating, a discovery that could pave the way for new treatments for food addiction and obesity. This study highlights the influence of the gut microbiome on eating behaviors and proposes promising avenues for the prevention and treatment of eating disorders.
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An international research team has found that a certain gut bacterium is associated with the development of food addiction in humans and mice, often leading to obesity. At the same time, they have identified bacteria that play a beneficial role in preventing this addiction. According to Professor Elena Martín-García of Pompeu Fabra University in Spain, multiple factors contribute to food addiction, characterized by a loss of control over food intake and associated disorders such as obesity and other eating disorders.
Professor Rafael Maldonado, head of the Neuropharmacology Laboratory at the same university, emphasized that these findings allow for the identification of new biomarkers of food addiction. These discoveries also open the possibility of using beneficial bacteria as potential treatments for this behavior linked to obesity, for which there is currently no effective treatment.
To diagnose food addiction, the team used the Yale Food Addiction Scale, which comprises 35 questions. These questions were adapted for mice, allowing for the measurement of persistent food-seeking, high motivation to obtain food, and compulsive behavior.
The study revealed an increase in bacteria from the phylum Proteobacteria and a decrease in bacteria from the phylum Actinobacteria in food-dependent mice. The same trends were observed in 88 human patients, suggesting that certain microbiomes might protect against food addiction.
The researchers administered prebiotics, such as lactulose and rhamnose, to the mice to increase the amount of
Blautia in their gut. They observed a notable improvement in food addiction. Similar results were obtained by directly administering a species of
Blautia called
Blautia wexlerae.
The microbiotic signatures observed in mice and humans indicate that certain bacteria may have protective effects against the development of food addiction. These results highlight the importance of interactions between the gut microbiome and the brain, revealing the complexity of this behavioral disorder.
Finally, the team explored the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in food addiction. By inhibiting specific miRNAs in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice, they were able to increase the mice's vulnerability to food addiction. These miRNAs could thus act as protective factors against food addiction, offering new perspectives for understanding the neurobiology of food control loss.
The research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Forum in Austria and published in
Gut shows that understanding the interactions between eating behavior and gut bacteria is essential for developing future treatments for food addiction and associated disorders.
Article author: Cédric DEPOND