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Review
. 2022 Jan 26;19(3):1368.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031368.

Impact of Contaminants on Microbiota: Linking the Gut-Brain Axis with Neurotoxicity

Jordina Balaguer-Trias  1 , Deepika Deepika  1 , Marta Schuhmacher  1 , Vikas Kumar  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Impact of Contaminants on Microbiota: Linking the Gut-Brain Axis with Neurotoxicity

Jordina Balaguer-Trias et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Over the last years, research has focused on microbiota to establish a missing link between neuronal health and intestine imbalance. Many studies have considered microbiota as critical regulators of the gut-brain axis. The crosstalk between microbiota and the central nervous system is mainly explained through three different pathways: the neural, endocrine, and immune pathways, intricately interconnected with each other. In day-to-day life, human beings are exposed to a wide variety of contaminants that affect our intestinal microbiota and alter the bidirectional communication between the gut and brain, causing neuronal disorders. The interplay between xenobiotics, microbiota and neurotoxicity is still not fully explored, especially for susceptible populations such as pregnant women, neonates, and developing children. Precisely, early exposure to contaminants can trigger neurodevelopmental toxicity and long-term diseases. There is growing but limited research on the specific mechanisms of the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA), making it challenging to understand the effect of environmental pollutants. In this review, we discuss the biological interplay between microbiota-gut-brain and analyse the role of endocrine-disrupting chemicals: Bisphenol A (BPA), Chlorpyrifos (CPF), Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in MGBA perturbations and subsequent neurotoxicity. The complexity of the MGBA and the changing nature of the gut microbiota pose significant challenges for future research. However, emerging in-silico models able to analyse and interpret meta-omics data are a promising option for understanding the processes in this axis and can help prevent neurotoxicity.

Keywords: BPA; Chlorpyrifos; DEHP; PFAS; gut microbiota; in-silico; in-vivo; neurotoxicity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors confirm that the present review and conclusion drawn reflect the professional work product of the authors, and, over the last 5 years, none of them have engaged in any legal, regulatory or advocacy activities related to this review’s content. All the figures that appear in this article have been created with BioRender.com (accessed on 1 December 2021).

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Maternal factors that influence neonate’s microbiota.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scheme of the interaction between the microbiota and the vagus nerve.
Figure 3
Figure 3
EDC exposure, early dysbiosis, and neurological disorders in adults.
Figure 4
Figure 4
DEHP exposure and microbiota modifications in newborns.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Impact of contaminants on the microbiota–gut–brain axis and linkage with neurotoxicity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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