Bacteriophages & Food Addiction Modulation: Role of Tryptophane & Tyrosine Pathways

Key Points

1.  The study identifies that bacteriophages of the Microviridae family, especially Gokushovirus WZ-2015a, are associated with food addiction and obesity in several human cohorts.

2. Food addiction and Gokushovirus were found to be linked to the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine, key neurotransmitters in the regulation of eating behavior.

3. Mice that received microbiota and virus transplantation from human donors with high Gokushovirus load showed an increase in food addiction and changes in tryptophan, serotonin and dopamine metabolism in the brain.

4. Anthranilic acid (AA) supplementation in mice reduced food addiction and modified pathways related to neurotransmitter synthesis release.

5. In Drosophila, AA was also shown to regulate feeding behavior and preference for ethanol, suggesting an important role in food addiction.