Alternations in the gut microbiota contribute to cognitive deficits induced by chronic infection of a neurotropic parasite

Objective The chronic infection of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) can cause cognitive impairment, and thus emerges as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. We aimed to investigate whether the parasitic infection impairs cognitive function by altering the gut microbiota and related metabolites.Design In a T. gondii induced- cognitive deficits model, shotgun metagenomics and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry were performed to analyze the profiles of gut microbiota and metabolites. Moreover, broad-spectrum antibiotics intervention and fecal microbiota transplantation were used to uncover the causal relationship between gut microbiota and cognitive impairment. In addition, the potential pro-cognitive effect of butyrate (one metabolite produced by gut microbiota) was determined in the infected mice.