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Reich N, Hölscher C. Beyond Appetite: Acylated Ghrelin As A Learning, Memory and Fear Behavior-modulating Hormone. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104952. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Sun ZY, Ma DL, Gu LH, Chen X, Zhang L, Li L. DHF-7 Ameliorates Behavioral Disorders and White Matter Lesions by Regulating BDNF and Fyn in a Mouse Model of Schizophrenia Induced by Cuprizone and MK-801. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2022; 25:600-612. [PMID: 35353146 PMCID: PMC9352181 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyac022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder including multiple clinical symptoms such as severe psychosis and cognitive dysfunction. DHF-7 is a novel dihydroflavanone derivative that was designed and synthesized to treat schizophrenia. This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of DHF-7 in a mouse model of schizophrenia induced by a combination of cuprizone and MK-801. METHODS After intragastric administration of DHF-7 for 7 weeks, open field, Y-maze, and novel object recognition tests were performed to detect behavioral changes in the mouse model. White matter lesions and myelin loss were determined using transmission electron microscopy and oil red O staining. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of the related proteins. RESULTS The results showed that DHF-7 treatment significantly improved cognitive impairment and positive symptoms in the model mice. Moreover, DHF-7 alleviated white matter lesions and demyelination and promoted the differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocytes for remyelination in the corpus callosum of model mice. The mechanistic study showed that DHF-7 increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and phosphorylated Fyn, thus activating the tyrosine kinase receptor B (Trk B)/Fyn/N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2 B (NMDAR2B) and Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/ extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide an experimental basis for the development of DHF-7 as a novel therapeutic agent for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Li-Hong Gu
- Department of Pharmacy, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,National Center for Neurological Disorders, Beijing, China,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, China,Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China,Beijing Engineering Research Center for Nerve System Drugs, Beijing, China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,National Center for Neurological Disorders, Beijing, China,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, China,Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China,Beijing Engineering Research Center for Nerve System Drugs, Beijing, China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,National Center for Neurological Disorders, Beijing, China,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, China,Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China,Beijing Engineering Research Center for Nerve System Drugs, Beijing, China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Li
- Correspondence: Lin Li, MD, PhD, Department of Pharmacy, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, 45 Chang-chun Street, Beijing 100053, China ()
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Isokawa M. Ghrelin-O-acyltransferase (GOAT) acylates ghrelin in the hippocampus. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2022; 118:369-392. [PMID: 35180934 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Ghrelin is an appetite-stimulating peptide hormone and produced in the stomach. Serine 3 on ghrelin must be acylated by the lipid transferase known as Ghrelin-O-acyltransferase (GOAT) in order for the peptide to become physiologically-active and bind to the cognate receptor, growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHSR1a). GHSR1a has been known to be expressed in the feeding center of the hypothalamus. However, the interest in GHSR1a increased dramatically among researchers in various biomedical fields when GHSR1a mRNA was found wide-spread in the brain including the hippocampus. Current understanding is that GHSR1a has multifaceted functions beyond the regulation of metabolism. In the blood, a nonacylated form of ghrelin (des-acyl ghrelin) exists in far greater amounts. Des-acyl ghrelin can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), but it cannot bind to GHSR1a in the brain. Thus, the identification of the source for acyl ghrelin in the brain became the critical and urgent quest. Here, we discuss the presence of GOAT in the hippocampus and its ability to acylate ghrelin locally within the hippocampus. We will show that GOAT is localized specifically at the base of the dentate granule cell layer in the rat and wild-type mouse, but not in the GHSR1a knockout mouse. This evidence points the possibility that the expression of GHSR1a may be a prerequisite for the synthesis of GOAT in the hippocampus. We will also show that: (1) the activation of GHSR1a by acyl ghrelin upregulates the cAMP and CREB phosphorylation, (2) amplifies the NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission by phosphorylating GluN1 subunit at Ser896/897, and (3) activates Fyn kinase and induces GluN2B phosphorylation at Tyr1336. In summary, GOAT is a critical molecule that acts as the master switch in the initiation of ghrelin-induced hippocampal synapse and neuron plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masako Isokawa
- Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States.
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Sassi M, Morgan AH, Davies JS. Ghrelin Acylation-A Post-Translational Tuning Mechanism Regulating Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11050765. [PMID: 35269387 PMCID: PMC8909677 DOI: 10.3390/cells11050765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis—the generation of new functional neurones in the adult brain—is impaired in aging and many neurodegenerative disorders. We recently showed that the acylated version of the gut hormone ghrelin (acyl-ghrelin) stimulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis while the unacylated form of ghrelin inhibits it, thus demonstrating a previously unknown function of unacyl-ghrelin in modulating hippocampal plasticity. Analysis of plasma samples from Parkinson’s disease patients with dementia demonstrated a reduced acyl-ghrelin:unacyl-ghrelin ratio compared to both healthy controls and cognitively intact Parkinson’s disease patients. These data, from mouse and human studies, suggest that restoring acyl-ghrelin signalling may promote the activation of pathways to support memory function. In this short review, we discuss the evidence for ghrelin’s role in regulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis and the enzymes involved in ghrelin acylation and de-acylation as targets to treat mood-related disorders and dementia.
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Gupta S, Mukhopadhyay S, Mitra A. Therapeutic potential of GHSR-1A antagonism in alcohol dependence, a review. Life Sci 2022; 291:120316. [PMID: 35016882 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1A (GHSR-1A) is a functional receptor of orexigenic peptide ghrelin and is highly expressed in mesolimbic dopaminergic systems that regulate incentive value of artificial reward in substance abuse. Interestingly, GHSR-1A has also shown ligand-independent constitutive activity. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the growing concerns worldwide as it involves complex neuro-psycho-endocrinological interactions. Positive correlation of acylated ghrelin and alcohol-induced human brain response in the right and left ventral striatum are evident. In the last decade, the beneficial effects of ghrelin receptor (GHSR-1A) antagonism to suppress artificial reward circuitries and induce self-control for alcohol consumption have drawn significant attention from researchers. In this updated review, we summarize the available recent preclinical, clinical, and experimental data to discuss functional, molecular actions of central ghrelin-GHSR-1A signaling in different craving levels for alcohol as well as to promote "GHSR-1A antagonism" as one of the potential therapies in early abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyasi Gupta
- Department of Zoology, Triveni Devi Bhalotia College, Raniganj, Paschim Bardhaman 713 347, West Bengal, India
| | - Sanchari Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hombegowda Nagar, Bengaluru 560029, India
| | - Arkadeep Mitra
- Department of Zoology, City College, 102/1, Raja Rammohan Sarani, Kolkata 700 009, West Bengal, India.
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Abstract
The stomach hormone, ghrelin, which is released during food restriction, provides a link between circulating energy state and adaptive brain function. The maintenance of such homeostatic systems is essential for an organism to survive and thrive, and accumulating evidence points to ghrelin being a key regulator of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and memory function. Aberrant neurogenesis is linked to cognitive decline in aging and neurodegeneration. Therefore, identifying endogenous metabolic factors that regulate new adult-born neuron formation is an important objective in understanding the link between nutritional status and CNS function. Here, we review current developments in our understanding of ghrelin's role in regulating neurogenesis and memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Davies
- Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom.
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Ghrelin Is Effective on Passive Avoidance Memory by Altering the Expression of NMDAR and HTR1a Genes in the Hippocampus of Male Wistar Rats. Rep Biochem Mol Biol 2022; 10:380-386. [PMID: 34981014 DOI: 10.52547/rbmb.10.3.380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Memory-dependent psychological behaviors have an important role in life. Memory strengthening in adulthood to prevent its defects in aging is a significant issue. The ghrelin endogenous hormone improves memory by targeting glutamatergic and serotonergic circuits. Also, citicoline, a memory strengthening drug in aging, is not recommended to adults due to its side effects. The current study aims to test that ghrelin treatment, like citicoline, would improve passive avoidance memory via expression of the genes encoding the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR1) and the serotonin receptor 1A (HTR1α) involved in this process. Methods Five groups of adult male rats received (1) saline (as control), (2) 0.5 mg/kg citicoline, or (3-5) 0.3, 1.5, and 3 nmol/μl ghrelin). The rats received the drugs via intra-hippocampal injection. Passive avoidance memory was determined using a shuttle box device. The latency to enter the dark chamber before (IL) and after (RL) injection and the total duration of the animal's presence in the light compartment (TLC) were evaluated. Then, the gene expression rates of NMDAR1 and HTR1α were measured by the Real-Time PCR. Results Ghrelin and citicoline had some similar and significant effects on passive avoidance memory, and both increased NMDAR1 and decreased HTR1α expression. Conclusion Ghrelin, like citicoline, improves passive avoidance learning by altering the NMDAR1 and HTR1α expression in the hippocampus.
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Chen W, Marvizón JC. A Src family kinase maintains latent sensitization in rats, a model of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Brain Res 2020; 1746:146999. [PMID: 32579948 PMCID: PMC10866137 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Latent sensitization is a long-term model of chronic pain in which hyperalgesia is continuously suppressed by opioid receptors, as demonstrated by the induction of mechanical allodynia by opioid antagonists. Different intracellular signals may mediate the initiation, maintenance and expression of latent sensitization. Our criterion for the involvement of a signal in the maintenance of latent sensitization is that inhibitors should permanently eliminate the allodynia produced by an opioid antagonist. We hypothesized that Src family kinases (SFKs) maintain latent sensitization and tested this hypothesis by inducing latent sensitization in rats with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or spared nerve injury. After measures of mechanical allodynia returned to baseline, vehicle or the SFK inhibitor PP2 were injected intrathecally. The opioid antagonist naltrexone injected intrathecally 15 min later produced allodynia in control rats but not in rats injected with PP2. Vehicle or PP2 were injected daily for two more days and naltrexone was injected five days later. Again, naltrexone induced allodynia in the control rats but not in the rats injected with PP2. Results were similar when latent sensitization was induced with CFA or spared nerve injury. We concluded that an SFK, likely Fyn, maintains latent sensitization induced by inflammation or nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenling Chen
- Veteran Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, United States; Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Juan Carlos Marvizón
- Veteran Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, United States; Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
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Childs MD, Luyt LG. A Decade's Progress in the Development of Molecular Imaging Agents Targeting the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor. Mol Imaging 2020; 19:1536012120952623. [PMID: 33104445 PMCID: PMC8865914 DOI: 10.1177/1536012120952623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR), also called the ghrelin receptor, is a G protein-coupled receptor known to play an important metabolic role in the regulation of various physiological processes, including energy expenditure, growth hormone secretion, and cell proliferation. This receptor has been implicated in numerous health issues including obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, type II diabetes, and regulation of body weight in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome, and there has been growing interest in studying its mechanism of behavior to unlock further applications of GHSR-targeted therapeutics. In addition, the GHSR is expressed in various types of cancer including prostate, breast, and testicular cancers, while aberrant expression has been reported in cardiac disease. Targeted molecular imaging of the GHSR could provide insights into its role in biological processes related to these disease states. Over the past decade, imaging probes targeting this receptor have been discovered for the imaging modalities PET, SPECT, and optical imaging. High-affinity analogues of ghrelin, the endogenous ligand for the GHSR, as well as small molecule inhibitors have been developed and evaluated both in vitro and in pre-clinical models. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular imaging agents targeting the GHSR reported to the end of 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina D Childs
- Department of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leonard G Luyt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Imaging, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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Buntwal L, Sassi M, Morgan AH, Andrews ZB, Davies JS. Ghrelin-Mediated Hippocampal Neurogenesis: Implications for Health and Disease. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2019; 30:844-859. [PMID: 31445747 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There is a close relationship between cognition and nutritional status, however, the mechanisms underlying this relationship require elucidation. The stomach hormone, ghrelin, which is released during food restriction, provides a link between circulating energy state and adaptive brain function. The maintenance of such homeostatic systems is essential for an organism to thrive and survive, and accumulating evidence points to ghrelin being key in promoting adult hippocampal neurogenesis and memory. Aberrant neurogenesis is linked to cognitive decline in ageing and neurodegeneration. Therefore, identifying endogenous metabolic factors that regulate new adult-born neurone formation is an important objective in understanding the link between nutritional status and central nervous system (CNS) function. Here, we review current developments in our understanding of ghrelin's role in regulating neurogenesis and memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Buntwal
- Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Swansea University, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Martina Sassi
- Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Swansea University, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Alwena H Morgan
- Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Swansea University, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Zane B Andrews
- Department of Physiology, Biomedical Discovery Unit, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jeffrey S Davies
- Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Swansea University, SA2 8PP, UK.
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Ramirez VT, van Oeffelen WEPA, Torres-Fuentes C, Chruścicka B, Druelle C, Golubeva AV, van de Wouw M, Dinan TG, Cryan JF, Schellekens H. Differential functional selectivity and downstream signaling bias of ghrelin receptor antagonists and inverse agonists. FASEB J 2018; 33:518-531. [PMID: 30020830 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201800655r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The ghrelin receptor [growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR)-1a] represents a promising pharmacologic target for the treatment of metabolic disorders, including obesity and cachexia, via central appetite modulation. The GHSR-1a has a complex pharmacology, highlighted by G-protein-dependent and -independent downstream signaling pathways and high basal constitutive activity. The functional selectivity and signaling bias of many GHSR-1a-specific ligands has not been fully characterized. In this study, we investigated the pharmacologic properties of ghrelin, MK-0677, L692,585, and [d-Lys3]-growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 (Dlys), JMV2959, and [d-Arg(1),d-Phe(5),d-Trp(7, 9),Leu(11)]-substance P (SP-analog). We investigated their effect on basal GHSR-1a constitutive signaling, ligand-directed downstream GHSR-1a signaling, functional selectivity, and signaling bias. Dlys behaved as a partial antagonist with a strong bias toward GHSR-1a-β-arrestin signaling, whereas JMV2959 acted as a full unbiased GHSR-1a antagonist. Moreover, the SP-analog behaved as an inverse agonist increasing G-protein-dependent signaling, but only at high concentrations, whereas, at low concentrations, the SP-analog attenuated β-arrestin-dependent signaling. Considering the limited success in the clinical development of GHSR-1a-targeted drugs so far, these findings provide a novel insight into the pharmacologic characteristics of GHSR-1a ligands and their signaling bias, which has important implications in the design of novel, more selective GHSR-1a ligands with predictable functional outcome and selectivity for preclinical and clinical drug development.-Ramirez, V. T., van Oeffelen, W. E. P. A., Torres-Fuentes, C., Chruścicka, B., Druelle, C., Golubeva, A. V., van de Wouw, M., Dinan, T. G., Cryan, J. F., Schellekens, H. Differential functional selectivity and downstream signaling bias of ghrelin receptor antagonists and inverse agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie T Ramirez
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Cristina Torres-Fuentes
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Barbara Chruścicka
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Clementine Druelle
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Anna V Golubeva
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marcel van de Wouw
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Timothy G Dinan
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Psychiatry, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and
| | - John F Cryan
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Food for Health Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Harriët Schellekens
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Food for Health Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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