Gut microbiota mediates intermittent-fasting alleviation of diabetes-induced cognitive impairment

Cognitive decline is one of the complications of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Intermittent fasting (IF) is a promising dietary intervention for alleviating T2D symptoms, but its protective effect on diabetes-driven cognitive dysfunction remains elusive. Here, we find that a 28-day IF regimen for diabetic mice improves behavioral impairment via a microbiota-metabolites-brain axis: IF enhances mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism gene expression in hippocampus, re-structures the gut microbiota, and improves microbial metabolites that are related to cognitive function. Moreover, strong connections are observed between IF affected genes, microbiota and metabolites, as assessed by integrative modelling.…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 81871118, 81803231
• CT
  Chalmers Tekniska Högskola
• CP
  China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

  Awards: 2018T111104, 2016M602867
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Awards: 2016YFD0400601, No. 2016YFD0400601
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities