Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41327251›Full record

ArticleBMC biology2025

Gut dysbiosis leads to cognitive decline through CNTF-mediated activation of microglia in mice.

Krishnapriya, Rishikesh, Dayamrita Kollaparampil Kishanchand, Isabell Haack, Shirin Hosseini, Ayswaria Deepti, Tara Sudhadevi, Kristin Michaelsen-Preusse, Unnikrishnan Sivan, Martin Korte and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. The gut-brain axis: mechanisms linking intestinal dysbiosis with stroke.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

KrishnapriyaDepartment of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India.
RishikeshDepartment of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Dayamrita Kollaparampil Kishanchand *Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Isabell HaackDepartment of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany.
Shirin HosseiniDepartment of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany.
Ayswaria DeeptiDepartment of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Tara SudhadeviDepartment of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Kristin Michaelsen-PreusseDepartment of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany.
Unnikrishnan SivanDepartment of FSQA, FFE, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Panangad, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Martin KorteDepartment of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Germany. m.korte@tu-braunschweig.de.
Baby Chakrapani Pulikkaparambil SasidharanDepartment of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India. chakrapani@cusat.ac.in.

Funding

Cochin University of Science and Technology Ac.B3/UJRF/2019-20, CUSAT/AC(C).C1/3498/2022Department of Health Research, India NRI/PIO/2020/000007Department of Health Research, India R.12015/01/2024-HR/E-Office:8292829DST-DAAD DST/INT/DAAD/P-04/2023 (G)Indian Council of Medical Research ICMR, No:5/4-5/180/Neuro/2019-NCD-1Kerala Biotechnology Commission 348/2023/KSCSTEKerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment KSCSTE, No:316/2022/KSCSTE
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe gut microbiota is essential for maintaining host homeostasis through its influence on metabolism, immunity, and neural signalling. Disruption of this microbial balance, known as gut dysbiosis, can alter gut-brain communication and has been associated with cognitive decline, with impairments in learning and memory. However, the cellular and molecular factors that lead to cognitive decline are not well understood. In this study we used an antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis model.

resultsWe observed that the animals with antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis showed deficits in cognition, especially long-term memory consolidation. There was an increase in astrocytes and microglial activation in the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus. The microglia were observed to engage in synaptic pruning at the presynaptic terminals. This aberrant pruning might have disrupted synaptic plasticity and connectivity, contributing to the observed cognitive deficiency. CNTF was also observed to be elevated along with activation of the JAK/STAT3 pathway. CNTF can activate microglia. Our findings revealed that astrocytes, microglia, and CNTF form an inflammatory activation loop within the CA1 region of the hippocampus following antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis.

conclusionsIn summary, our study demonstrates that antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis triggers a cascade of neuroinflammatory events in the hippocampus, involving the elevation of CNTF, microglial pruning at presynaptic terminals, and reciprocal activation of glial cells, resulting in cognitive deficits. These findings highlight the critical role of gut-brain communication in maintaining neural homeostasis and identify CNTF as a potential therapeutic target for dysbiosis-associated cognitive disorders.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionDysbiosisGastrointestinal MicrobiomeMicrogliaAnimalsAnti-Bacterial AgentsHippocampusMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLAnti-Bacterial AgentsGut-brain axisGut dysbiosisHippocampusLearning and memoryNeuroinflammationSynaptic pruning

Identifiers

PMID41327251
PMCPMC12670871

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.