Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Reports Findings in Pediatrics (Changes in short-chain fatty acids affect brain development in mice with early life antibiotic-induced dysbacteriosis).

A study conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in Hefei, China, explored the impact of antibiotics on the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in neonatal feces and its relationship to brain development. The researchers found that antibiotic use reduced SCFAs content in the feces of neonates and induced gut dysbiosis in mice, resulting in decreased expression of certain brain tissue-related proteins. Mice with dysbiosis displayed cognitive deficits, and SCFAs levels decreased during dysbiosis but increased upon microbiota recovery. The study suggests that reduced SCFAs may contribute to alterations in brain development. [Extracted from the article]