Fecal transplant prevents gut dysbiosis and anxiety-like behaviour after spinal cord injury in rats

PLOS ONE, 2020 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226128 · Published: January 15, 2020

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Gastroenterology

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury can lead to secondary issues such as depression and anxiety, potentially linked to changes in gut bacteria. This study aimed to understand if gut bacteria play a role in anxiety after spinal cord injury. The researchers found that spinal cord injury in rats caused changes in gut bacteria (dysbiosis) and increased anxiety-like behaviors. Treating the rats with a fecal transplant, which replaces the altered gut bacteria with healthy bacteria, prevented both the dysbiosis and the anxiety. This suggests that gut bacteria play a role in the development of anxiety after spinal cord injury. Modifying the gut microbiota may be a way to improve mental well-being following SCI.

Study Duration

5 weeks

Participants

Adult female Lewis rats (n = 45)

Evidence Level

Animal study

Key Findings

1
Spinal cord injury in rats induces dysbiosis and anxiety-like behavior.
2
Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) prevents SCI-induced dysbiosis.
3
Fecal microbiota transplant alleviates SCI-induced anxiety-like behavior.

Research Summary

This study demonstrates that a unilateral cervical spinal contusion in rats induces a transient change in the microbiota composition. This SCI-induced gut dysbiosis is involved in the development of anxiety-like behaviour following SCI. Functional analysis of the microbiota composition confirmed this treatment effect, and showed an inverse relationship between SCI-FMT/Healthy and SCI/Sham groups. Together these data demonstrate that acute onset SCI-induced intestinal dysbiosis can have profound long-term behavioural consequences Targeting the gut microbiota may therefore provide a novel therapeutic target to treat multiple consequences of SCI.

Practical Implications

Mental Health Treatment

The gut microbiota may be a new target for treating mental health issues following spinal cord injury.

Prophylactic Strategies

Early interventions, such as fecal microbiota transplants, could prevent anxiety development after spinal cord injury.

Inflammation Reduction

Treating intestinal dysbiosis after SCI may improve the integrity of the intestinal barrier and reduce systemic inflammation, preventing the subsequent development of mental health disorders.

Study Limitations

1
The mild cervical SCI used may not induce significant long-term deficits in locomotion or lasting gut dysbiosis.
2
Repeated FMT administrations may be needed to realize a lasting benefit.
3
Additional tests are needed to confirm whether or not the present model of SCI induces a depressive-like phenotype.

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