Examining Associations between the Oral Microbiota, Neuroinflammation, and Binge Drinking in Adolescents

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The proposed application responds to the need for a better understanding of the microbiome and neuroinflammation in adolescent alcohol users. Early initiation of alcohol use, and binge drinking in particular, is considered one of the most important risk factors in the later development of alcohol and substance use disorders, but the neurobiological changes that may account for this increased vulnerability are not well understood. Alcohol-induced microbiome alterations at an early age may lead to neurometabolite alterations and in-turn affect the escalation of alcohol use. Consequently, the microbiome may be a novel area of research that may aid in adolescent AUD prevention and intervention efforts by providing new targets for treatment, and/or diagnostic and therapeutic response biomarkers. The present study therefore aims to investigate associations between the microbiota and neuroinflammation in the context of adolescent binge drinking. Specifically, the study will rely on analysis of oral microbiota 16S rRNA sequencing and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data, in order to determine if binge drinking adolescents have higher levels of pro-inflammatory microbes and MRS markers of neuroinflammation. Together these data, regardless of if they are line with our hypotheses, will provide a foundation for neuroscience and microbiome informed targets and strategies for prevention and intervention efforts for problematic alcohol use. The research proposed in this F31 application will serve as essential hands-on training to promote Brittney's career development in adolescent alcohol use disorder neurobiology, neuroimaging, and the microbiome, and it will result in data on which to build an NIH F32 application.