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Using a Zebrafish Model to Study the Gut Microbiota's Effect on the Brain's Neurochemistry and Behavior.
Author(s) -
Ball Alexander G.,
Bell Emily A.,
Sienerth Karl,
Uno Jennifer K.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.765.8
Subject(s) - gut–brain axis , zebrafish , microbiome , biology , gut flora , serotonin , neurochemistry , bacteroidetes , neuroscience , autism , 5 ht receptor , neurology , immunology , psychology , bioinformatics , genetics , receptor , bacteria , developmental psychology , gene , 16s ribosomal rna
Despite the vast amount of Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) research, the cause of ASC remains unknown. Recently, several studies indicate a link between ASD and the gut microbiota, a complex bacterial ecosystem present in the digestive tract of animals. The gut microbiome is an important component of the gut‐brain axis, a bi‐directional communication pathway between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. Additionally, the gut microbiome is a key regulator of the serotonin, which has been found in higher concentrations in the autistic individual's blood serum. Serotonin is involved in neuron growth and may be responsible for the alterations in brain structure seen in autistic individuals. This study employs a zebrafish model to examine how dysregulation of the gut microbiome influences serotonin levels in the brain and how that potentially impacts social interaction. We hypothesize that alterations in the gut microbiota will produce higher levels of serotonin in the brain and therefore cause alterations in behavioral interactions. Adult zebrafish were administered amoxicillin, or an ampicillin/clindamycin combination and the shoal area was measured to examine the zebrafish's social behavior. Intestinal bacterial‐DNA was extracted, and bacterial phyla were examined and quantified by qPCR. Serotonin levels in a zebrafish brain were measured directly though fluorescence spectroscopy and indirectly, through serotonin receptor expression. Results confirmed amoxicillin significantly decreased the quantity and diversity of the intestinal bacterial communities by 60% (p value < 0.05). Antibiotic treatment also correlated to behavioral changes in the fish, illustrated by the 50% larger shoal areas (p value <0.05). The results from this study will help shed light on a complex neurodevelopmental condition. Support or Funding Information This work was funded by Elon University. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .