The gut–brain axis (GBA) is
the umbrella term
to include
all bidirectional communication between the brain and gastrointestinal
(GI) tract in the mammalian body. Evidence from over two centuries
describes a significant role of GI microbiome in health and disease
states of the host organism. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), mainly
acetate, butyrate, and propionate that are the physiological forms
of acetic acid, butyric acid, and propionic acid respectively, are
GI bacteria derived metabolites. SCFAs have been reported to influence
cellular function in multiple neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). In
addition, the inflammation modulating properties of SCFAs make them
suitable therapeutic candidates in neuroinflammatory conditions. This
review provides a historical background of the GBA and current knowledge
of the GI microbiome and role of individual SCFAs in central nervous
system (CNS) disorders. Recently, a few reports have also identified
the effects of GI metabolites in the case of viral infections. Among
these viruses, the flaviviridae family is associated with neuroinflammation
and deterioration of CNS functions. In this context, we additionally
introduce SCFA based mechanisms in different viral pathogenesis to
understand the former’s potential as agents against flaviviral
disease.
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