Stage

Proposition de stage

Microbiota-gut-brain axis and eating behavior

Résumé du sujet : Appetite, satiety and food preferences are influenced by biological, environmental and psychological factors. Our behaviors towards food are governed not only by sensory characteristics of food, but also by the current internal status. Together, exteroceptive food-related sensory signals (from outside the body) and interoceptive homeostatic signals (from within the body) determine the rewarding properties of food (weltens et al., 2014). Gut microbiota strongly influences peripheral and central signaling through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. In addition, a growing literature supports the view that the gut microbiota is a key regulator of reward-related processes. Indeed, several recent studies indicate that the absence or depletion of gut microbiota increases the consumption of palatable foods in mice1–4. Taken together, these studies suggest that intervention strategies targeting the gut microbiota could be effective in modulating eating behavior. In this context, identification of relevant brain structures associated with such modifications is necessary to understand the underlying biological mechanisms.

The insular cortex5 is a brain region considered to be a central component of the neuronal network of interoception, whose activity could be influenced by gut microbiota. However, studies are lacking on the role of microbiota in the activity of the insular cortex, particularly in response to food-associated stimuli. We are looking for master's students (M2 or even M1) to contribute to addressing the technical and scientific challenges associated with this subject. The selected student(s) will take part in projects that aim at identifying the role of the insular cortex in changes in eating behavior induced by the gut microbiota. From a technical point of view, these projects may include behavioral measurements6 (food intake, motivation), interventions to modulate gut microbiota, and indirect analyses of brain activity using immunohistochemistry. The recruited student(s) will join the team “EAT” at the NuMeCan Institute (UMR INSERM, INRAE, University of Rennes), composed of physiologists, neuroscientists, clinicians (psychologist, nutritionist) and brain imaging specialists.

Required skills: organizational skills (time management, rigor, autonomy), work ethic (integrity, responsible and dependable), interpersonal skills (collaboration, teamwork, communication), analytical skills and critical thinking.

Keywords: insular cortex, eating behavior, gut microbiota, murine model

References:
1. Rautmann, A.W. & de La Serre, C.B. Nutrients 13, 3067 (2021).
2. Han, H. et al. Microbiome 9, 162 (2021).
3. Fetissov, S.O. Nat Rev Endocrinol 13, 11–25 (2017).
4. Trevelline, B.K. & Kohl, K.D. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 119, e2117537119 (2022).
5. Gogolla, N. Current Biology 27, R580–R586 (2017).
6. Matikainen-Ankney, B.A. et al. eLife 10, e66173 (2021).

Laboratoire d'accueil : NuMeCan - Villejean
Equipe d'accueil : EAT
Responsable(s) scientifique(s) : Adélie Salin
Contact(s) : adelie.salin@univ-rennes.fr

Proposé le 01-08-2024