Predicting prebiotic effects on human microbiota, behavior, and cognition.
Abstract
Dietary carbohydrates that are metabolized by gut microbes (known as ???prebiotics???) are increasingly appreciated as contributing to host health and performance. In particular, positive cognitive and behavioral impacts have been observed in both mice and humans following prebiotic intake. A key concern, however, is that there may be no ???one-size-fits-all??? prebiotic approach for stimulating gut microbiota to enhance human performance. Prebiotics vary in their metabolic effects between people, likely due in large part to inter-individual microbiome differences. How this variation affects prebiotic impacts on human cognitive and behavioral performance, and whether such variation can be predicted, remains unknown. Without such knowledge, the potential for prebiotics to enhance warfighter performance will not be fully realized. Our long-term research goal is to establish rigorous methods for personalizing prebiotic therapies to optimize human health and performance. Our objective here is to measure and predict the impact of prebiotic inulin treatment on multiple aspects of human performance. This research emerges, in part, from our pioneering studies manipulating human diets over the course of weeks, and tracking human behavior and fiber intake for up to one year. Still, fundamental technical challenges block our ability to predict individuals??? prebiotic responses. To address these challenges, we have developed and utilized innovative new tools: smart devices for self-tracking human lifestyle and behavior; microbiome machine-learning models; and, microfluidic technique for assaying millions of individual bacterial cultures. We will apply these tools towards our objective in two Tasks:TASK 1: Assess prebiotic effect on cognition, behavior, and physiology. We will recruit a cohort of 24 subjects and conduct a 1 week prebiotic intervention. Using wearable devices and web-based tests, we will measure differences between treatment and placebo-controlled groups in multiple aspects of human performance: cognition (memory, learning, reaction time, vigilance), behavior (sleep, activity), and physiology (heart rate). These tests will identify aspects of human performance that can be enhanced by prebiotic treatment across most individuals. TASK 2: Predict individual performance outcomes after prebiotic treatment. We hypothesize that even if prebiotic treatments do not produce cohort-level performance shifts, individual responses to prebiotics correlate with pre-treatment microbiome markers. To test this hypothesis, we will retrospectively test pre-treatment microbiomes using diagnostic tools developed in the PI???s lab: a machine-learning based classification algorithm; a high-throughput microfluidics-based prebiotic consumption assay; and, an in vitro short-chain fatty acid production test.IMPACT: Capabilities like reaction time, vigilance, working memory, and learning ability are central to a warfighter???s ability to perform at peak levels. This proposal is expected to validate new dietary approaches for enhancing these abilities. Additionally, the predictive diagnostics tested here are expected to be a step towards personalizing diets for soldiers. Such diets could reduce weight burdens for soldiers in the field and overall provisioning requirements for naval forces. Finally, assay results may be correlated with subjects??? baseline performance, which in turn could identify microbiome-based biomarkers of warfighter???s natural performance capabilities. Such biomarkers may thus be used to predict soldiers??? fitness to certain military tasks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 04, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812616
Entities
People
- Lawrence A David
Organizations
- Duke University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy