Topic: mesolimbic system

Reward-related disorders, elicited by recreational psychoactive drugs (cocaine, amphetamine) or natural rewards (food), are associated with functional, structural and long-lasting alterations of the brain dopamine (DA) reward system. Despite their intrinsic differences, drugs of abuse and palatable food lead to (mal)adaptive modifications of the DA system that can ultimately drive compulsive and addictive behaviours with severe health and social impacts, collectively increasing the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies.Visceral and interoceptive information through the vagal axis,

While emerging evidence suggests a role for gut bacteria in the pathophysiology of substance use disorder (SUD), studies of their impact on brain and behavioral responses to drugs have been very limited so far. We previously showed that gut dysbiosis enhances the nicotine-induced activation of the mesolimbic system and alters nicotine’s motivational properties in mice. However, the mechanisms linking gut bacteria to the mesolimbic system to influence its response to nicotine remain to be identified. Microbial products are suspected to play a role in this process by influencing gene expression,