Gut microbiota depletion affects food anticipatory activity and motivation for food reward in male mice

CRESPO M.; ZAPIOLA E; ACOSTA J.; AIELLO I.; PLANO S.A.; GOLOMBEK D.A.; CHIESA J.J.; D.A. GOLOMBEK; AGOSTINO P.V.

Playa del Carmen

Simposio; XVII Latin American Symposium on Chronobiology; 2023

The circadian system plays a crucial role in regulating physiological, metabolic, and behavioural functions, including the response to natural (i.e., food) and drug rewards. In mammals, the master circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is primary synchronized by the light/dark cycle. However, food availability can serve as a significant cue for circadian synchronization, even in the absence of a functional SCN. This food entrainable oscillator (FEO), is activated in response to a variety of time-caloric restriction protocols in which food access is limited to a few hours per day (time restricted feeding, TRF). One noteworthy component of the peripheral circadian oscillators is the gut microbiota, which regulates the synthesis and release of neuromodulators through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. In this work, we present evidence that food-anticipatory activity (FAA) and motivation for food reward are increased by gut microbiota depletion. Specifically, male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to gut microbiota depletion by using an antibiotic (AB) cocktail, and one week later a 3-h TRF protocol was administered. Mice receiving AB displayed increased FAA compared to the control group. Moreover, motivation in the progressive ratio (PR) task, as evaluated by the number of lever presses made, the rewards earned, the breaking point and the % of mice active during the task. In this sense, our findings strongly suggest a role for the gut microbiota in regulating brain reward functions. Taken together, our research contributes valuable insights into the potential mechanisms through which circadian rhythms influence motivational states. This knowledge could have implications for improving the treatment of psychiatric disorders, substance of abuse, and mental health disorders.