Effects of environmental contaminants on anxiety-like and fear behaviors, and gut-microbiota in rodents

项目摘要 我们的目标是了解环境污染物，即草甘膦对 焦虑样行为和恐惧相关行为，并确定肠道微生物之间可能的联系 失衡和行为缺陷。人类接触化学品的风险增加，原因是 食品防腐剂、农业和工业生产表明，接触 环境毒素，如草甘膦，以及神经和情绪的发展 精神错乱。草甘膦是以草甘膦为基础的除草剂的有效成分，最初是 被认为对哺乳动物是安全的，因为它通过抑制一条不存在的代谢途径来发挥作用 在哺乳动物身上。然而，这种酶是在微生物中发现的，这使得肠道微生物区系 容易被草甘膦破坏的。鉴于肠道微生物区系对宿主有利，通过采取行动 作为对病原体的防御，产生神经递质，如5-羟色胺，并调节 大脑功能正常，肠道微生物区系紊乱可能与神经发病有关 通过产生一系列导致情绪失调的事件。因此，草甘膦可以 通过对抗动物体内的微生物来影响动物的健康。草甘膦的影响 对焦虑和恐惧相关行为的影响尚不清楚。评估潜在的关系 在草甘膦对焦虑、恐惧和肠道微生物区系的影响之间，必须有联系 检查过了。了解草甘膦对大鼠肠道共生体、行为和大脑的影响 病理生理学将有助于阐明这种化学物质对焦虑和恐惧的可能作用。我们会 给成年大鼠喝受草甘膦污染的饮用水或过滤后的水，并进行 对类焦虑和恐惧相关行为的行为研究。我们假设延长了 饮用被草甘膦污染的水会导致焦虑和恐惧相关的增加 行为。此外，通过评估肠道微生物区系的组成变化，我们将 确定可能与情绪障碍的发展相关的微生物失衡。

Project Summary Our goal is to understand the effects of environmental contaminants, namely glyphosate, on anxiety-like and fear-related behaviors, and determine possible links between gut microbial imbalances and behavioral deficits. The increased risk of human exposure to chemicals from food preservatives, agriculture and industrial production suggests a link between exposure to environmental toxins, such as glyphosate, and the development of neurological and emotional disorders. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in glyphosate-based herbicides, was initially considered safe for mammals since it exerts its effect by inhibiting a metabolic route not present in mammals. However, this enzyme is found in microorganism, making the gut microbiota likely susceptible to damage by glyphosate. Given that the gut microbiota benefits the host, by acting as a defense against pathogens, producing neurotransmitters such as serotonin, and regulating normal brain function, disturbances of the gut microbiota may contribute to neural pathogenesis by generating a cascade of events which lead to emotional dysregulation. Thus, glyphosate can impact the health of animals by acting against their gut microbes. The influence of glyphosate on anxiety-like and fear-related behaviors is unclear. To evaluate the potential relationship between the influence of glyphosate on anxiety, fear, and gut microbiota, a link must be examined. Understanding how glyphosate impacts rat gut symbionts, their behavior and brain pathophysiology will help elucidate a possible role of this chemical to anxiety and fear. We will give either glyphosate-contaminated drinking water or filtered water, to adult rats, and perform behavioral studies for anxiety-like and fear-related behaviors. We hypothesize that prolonged drinking of glyphosate-contaminated water will lead to increased anxiety-like and fear-related behaviors. In addition, by evaluating for changes in the composition of gut microbiota, we will identify microbial imbalances that may correlate with the development of emotional disorders.