Cardiac vagal activity is associated with gut-microbiome patterns in women—An exploratory pilot study. Issue 1 (31st December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mörkl, Sabrina; Oberascher, Andreas; Tatschl, Josef M.; Lackner, Sonja; Bastiaanssen, Thomaz F. S.; Butler, Mary I.; Moser, Maximilian; Frühwirth, Matthias; Mangge, Harald; Cryan, John F.; Dinan, Timothy G.; Holasek, Sandra J.
• Is Part Of: Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. Volume 24:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2022-12-31
• Subjects: Gut microbiota -- vagal nerve -- gut-brain-axis -- autonomic nervous system -- heart rate variability
• DOI: 10.1080/19585969.2022.2128697
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1958-5969

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: A functional reciprocity between the gut microbiome and vagal nerve activity has been suggested, however, human studies addressing this phenomenon are limited. Methods: Twenty-four-hour cardiac vagal activity (CVA) was assessed from 73 female participants (aged 24.5 ± 4.3 years). Additionally, stool samples were subjected to 16SrRNA gene analysis (V1–V2). Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) was used to analyse microbiome data. Additionally, inflammatory parameters (such as CRP and IL-6) were derived from serum samples. Results: Daytime CVA correlated significantly with gut microbiota diversity ( r sp = 0.254, p = 0.030), CRP ( r sp = −0.348, p = 0.003), and IL-6 ( r sp = −0.320, p = 0.006). When the group was divided at the median of 24 h CVA (Mdn = 1.322), the following features were more abundant in the high CVA group: Clostridia (Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LDA) = 4.195, p = 0.029), Clostridiales (LDA = 4.195, p = 0.029), Lachnospira (LDA = 3.489, p = 0.004), Ruminococcaceae (LDA = 4.073, p = 0.010), Faecalibacterium (LDA = 3.982, p = 0.042), Lactobacillales (LDA = 3.317, p = 0.029), Bacilli (LDA = 3.294, p = 0.0350), Streptococcaceae (LDA = 3.353, p = 0.006), Streptococcus (LDA = 3.332, p = 0.011). Based on Dirichlet multinomial mixtures two enterotypes could be detected, which differed significantly in CVA, age, BMI, CRP, IL-6, and diversity. Conclusions: As an indicator of gut-brain communication, gut microbiome analysis could be extended by measurements of CVA to enhance our understanding of signalling via microbiota-gut-brain-axis and its alterations through psychobiotics.