Key role of gut microbiota in anhedonia-like phenotype in rodents with neuropathic pain

Transl Psychiatry. 2019 Jan 31;9(1):57. doi: 10.1038/s41398-019-0379-8.

Abstract

Patients with chronic neuropathic pain frequently suffer from symptoms of anhedonia, which is a core symptom of depression. Accumulating studies suggest that gut microbiota may play a role in depression via gut-microbiota-brain axis. However, it is unknown whether gut microbiota plays a role in neuropathic pain-associated anhedonia. Here, we used a rat model of spared nerve injury (SNI). Hierarchical cluster analysis of sucrose preference test (SPT) results was used to classify the SNI rats with or without anhedonia-like phenotype. The 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing analysis showed abnormal composition of gut microbiota in the anhedonia susceptible compared to sham-operated rats and resilient rats. Furthermore, antibiotics-treated mice showed pain as well as depression-like and anhedonia-like phenotypes, suggesting a role of gut microbiota in these abnormal behaviors. Transplantation of fecal microbiota from anhedonia susceptible rats into antibiotics-treated pseudo-germ-free mice significantly exaggerated pain and depression-like phenotypes, including anhedonia. In contrast, transplantation of fecal microbiota from resilient rats into antibiotics-treated pseudo-germ-free mice significantly improved pain and depression-like phenotypes, including anhedonia. In conclusion, this study suggests that abnormal composition of gut microbiota may contribute to anhedonia susceptibility post SNI surgery, and that gut microbiota also plays a role in the pain as well as depression-like phenotypes. Interestingly, fecal microbiota transplantation from SNI rats with or without anhedonia can alter pain, depression-like and anhedonia-like phenotypes in the pseudo-germ-free mice. Therefore, it is likely that gut microbiota plays a key role in the pain as well as depression-like phenotypes including anhedonia in rodents with neuropathic pain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anhedonia / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Depression / complications
  • Depression / microbiology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neuralgia / complications
  • Neuralgia / microbiology*
  • Neuralgia / psychology*
  • Phenotype
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Sciatic Nerve / injuries