Cardiac vagal activity is associated with gut-microbiome patterns in women—An exploratory pilot study

Abstract

Introduction A functional reciprocity between the gut microbiome and vagal nerve activity has been suggested, however, human studies addressing this phenomenon are limited. Methods Twenty-four-hour cardiac vagal activity (CVA) was assessed from 73 female participants (aged 24.5 ± 4.3 years). Additionally, stool samples were subjected to 16SrRNA gene analysis (V1–V2). Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) was used to analyse microbiome data. Additionally, inflammatory parameters (such as CRP and IL-6) were derived from serum samples. Results Daytime CVA correlated significantly with gut microbiota diversity ( r sp = 0.254, p = 0.030), CRP ( r sp = −0.348, p = 0.003), and IL-6 ( r sp = −0.320, p = 0.006). When the group was divided at the median of 24 h CVA (Mdn = 1.322), the following features were more abundant in the high CVA group: Clostridia (Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LDA) = 4.195, p = 0.029), Clostridiales (LDA = 4.195, p = 0.029), Lachnospira (LDA = 3.489, p = 0.004), Ruminococcaceae (LDA = 4.073, p = 0.010), Faecalibacterium (LDA = 3.982, p = 0.042), Lactobacillales (LDA = 3.317, p = 0.029), Bacilli (LDA = 3.294, p = 0.0350), Streptococcaceae (LDA = 3.353, p = 0.006), Streptococcus (LDA = 3.332, p = 0.011). Based on Dirichlet multinomial mixtures two enterotypes could be detected, which differed significantly in CVA, age, BMI, CRP, IL-6, and diversity. Conclusions As an indicator of gut-brain communication, gut microbiome analysis could be extended by measurements of CVA to enhance our understanding of signalling via microbiota-gut-brain-axis and its alterations through psychobiotics.

The Effect of Curcumin on the Gut-Brain Axis: Therapeutic Implications

“… 32 A recent pilot clinical trial in women indicated that cardiac vagal activity correlated closely with gut microbiota and the gut-brain axis via the vagal nerve; additionally, vagal activity correlated inversely with inflammatory parameters. 33 Clostridia, Lachnospira, Ruminococaceae, Faecalibacterium, Lactobacillales , and Streptococcaceae were more abundant microbial species in subjects with higher cardiac vagal activity. 33 Therefore, the gut microbiota represents a promising candidate for controlling disease and a noninvasive predictor of prognosis.…”

“… 33 Clostridia, Lachnospira, Ruminococaceae, Faecalibacterium, Lactobacillales , and Streptococcaceae were more abundant microbial species in subjects with higher cardiac vagal activity. 33 Therefore, the gut microbiota represents a promising candidate for controlling disease and a noninvasive predictor of prognosis.…”

Revitalizing the Gut Microbiome in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Comprehensive Exploration of the Therapeutic Potential of Physical Activity

“…Higher parasympathetic activity, which is critical for restorative processes and the primary cause of heart rate variations, is reflected in a larger HRV [120]. A higher HRV is associated with higher gut microbial diversity and specific species such as L. incertae sedis abundance in the healthy population [121,122]. Exercise training is well known to increase HRV in the healthy population [120,123] and could be linked to an increase in vagal tone that may promote a preferential anti-inflammatory milieu at the intestinal luminal interface [52].…”

Seeking the Psilocybiome: Psychedelics meet the microbiota-gut-brain axis

“…In the subgroup of TRD who continued SSRI's ( n = 19), psilocybin was well-tolerated, with 11 (58%) participants reporting TEAEs, of which a majority (81%) were of mild severity ( COMPASS, 2021 ). Given the role of serotonin in the stimulation of gut motility, it raises interesting questions of whether the diet-MGB axis may have subtle implications for the modulation of transient GI side-effects or autonomic nervous system effects in psychedelic therapy ( Holze et al, 2021 ; Mörkl et al, 2022 ; Olbrich et al, 2021 ).…”