High-fiber diet mitigates maternal obesity-induced cognitive and social dysfunction in the offspring via gut-brain axis.

TitleHigh-fiber diet mitigates maternal obesity-induced cognitive and social dysfunction in the offspring via gut-brain axis.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsLiu X, Li X, Xia B, Jin X, Zou Q, Zeng Z, Zhao W, Yan S, Li L, Yuan S, Zhao S, Dai X, Yin F, Cadenas E, Liu RHai, Zhao B, Hou M, Liu Z, Liu X
JournalCell Metab
Volume33
Issue5
Pagination923-938.e6
Date Published2021 May 04
ISSN1932-7420
KeywordsAdolescent, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Brain-Gut Axis, Child, Cognition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dietary Fiber, Fatty Acids, Volatile, Female, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Humans, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Obesity, Maternal, Pregnancy, Social Behavior, Spliceosomes, Synapses
Abstract

Maternal obesity has been reported to be related to neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring. However, the underlying mechanisms and effective interventions remain unclear. This cross-sectional study with 778 children aged 7-14 years in China indicated that maternal obesity is strongly associated with children's lower cognition and sociality. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that maternal obesity in mice disrupted the behavior and gut microbiome in offspring, both of which were restored by a high-fiber diet in either dams or offspring via alleviating synaptic impairments and microglial maturation defects. Co-housing and feces microbiota transplantation experiments revealed a causal relationship between microbiota and behavioral changes. Moreover, treatment with the microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids also alleviated the behavioral deficits in the offspring of obese dams. Together, our study indicated that the microbiota-metabolites-brain axis may underlie maternal obesity-induced cognitive and social dysfunctions and that high dietary fiber intake could be a promising intervention.

DOI10.1016/j.cmet.2021.02.002
Alternate JournalCell Metab
PubMed ID33651981
Faculty Member Reference: 
Fei Yin, Ph.D.