THE HUMAN INTESTINAL BACTERIA PHASCOLARCTOBACTERIUM FAECIUM DECREASES MOTIVATION FOR PALATABLE FOOD AND REDUCES DAILY FOOD INTAKE IN FEMALE AND MALE MICE

The human intestinal bacterium Phascolarctobacterium faecium has anti-obesity properties coupled with metabolic benefits in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. However, a deeper understanding of how this bacterium modulates feeding behaviour is still required. In the present work, we investigated the impact of P. faecium administration on the motivation for palatable food and on circadian patterns of high-fat diet intake. Female and male mice fed control diet received a daily oral dose of P. faecium for 11 weeks and motivation for palatable reward was studied using an operant conditioning procedure. Additionally, circadian patterns of food intake were explored in female and male mice fed an obesogenic diet after 4 weeks of P. faecium treatment. We found that P.faecium reduced motivation for palatable food in both male and female mice. Furthermore, analysis of feeding patterns under an obesogenic diet revealed that P.faecium treated mice showed reduced food intake during both active and inactive phase, especially in females. These results suggests that P.faecium confers metabolic benefits by modulating food-motivated behaviour and feeding patterns positioning this bacterium as a promising probiotic for promoting healthy eating behaviors.