High-tannin food enhances spatial memory and scatter-hoarding in rodents via the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The mutually beneficial coevolutionary relationships between rodents and plant seeds have been a theme of research in plant-animal relationships. Seed tannins are important secondary metabolites of plants that regulate the food-hoarding behavior of rodents; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet clear. In this study, we investigated whether and how seed tannins improve spatial memory and regulate the hoarding behavior of Tamias sibiricus by altering their gut microbiota.

Results

We showed that acorn tannins not only improved spatial memory but also enhanced scatter-hoarding in T. sibiricus. Changes in the composition and function of the gut microbiota in response to tannins from acorns are closely related to these improvements. Metabonomic analys

SUBMITTER: Zhao X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11285206 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature