A Common Gut Fungus Coaxes Mice to Drink Less Alcohol
Candida albicans, a normal part of the gut microflora, altered how animals responded to ethanol through an inflammatory mediator.
Researchers increasingly recognize the role of the gut microbiome in influencing activity in the brain, coined the “gut-brain axis”. For example, these microbes influence addiction, including alcohol use disorder (AUD).
- Candida albicans is a common gut fungus.
- Researchers previously showed that this fungus is also more abundant in the fecal microbiome of people with AUD.
Candida albicans influences the response to alcohol through a prostaglandin.
A team of researchers at Tufts University led by Carol Kumamoto, a microbiologist studying C. albicans, explored the effects of this fungus on an individual’s preference for and consumption of alcohol.
Author's summary: Gut fungus impacts alcohol consumption in mice.