| Title |
Alterations in the Gut Microbiota of Rats Chronically Exposed to Volatilized Cocaine and Its Active Adulterants Caffeine and Phenacetin
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Neurotoxicity Research, July 2018
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s12640-018-9936-9 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Cecilia Scorza, Claudia Piccini, Marcela Martínez Busi, Juan Andrés Abin Carriquiry, Pablo Zunino |
| Abstract |
A role of the gut microbiota in influencing brain function and emotional disorders has been suggested. However, only a few studies have investigated the gut microbiota in the context of drug addiction.Cocaine can be smoked (i.e., crack or coca paste) and its consumption is associated with a very high abuse liability and toxicity. We have recently reported that cocaine base seized samples contained caffeine and phenacetin as main active adulterants, which may potentiate its motivational, reinforcing, and toxic effects. However, the effect of volatilized cocaine and adulterants on the gut microbiota remained unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of volatilized cocaine and two adulterants on the structure, diversity, and functionality of the gut microbiota in rats. Animals were chronically exposed to the fume of cocaine, caffeine, and phenacetin during 14 days. At the end of the treatment, feces were collected and the structure, composition, and functional predictions of the gut microbiota were analyzed. Cocaine significantly decreased the community richness and diversity of the gut microbiota while both cocaine and phenacetin drastically changed its composition. Phenacetin significantly increased the Firmicutes-Bacteroidetes ratio compared to the control group. When the predicted metagenome functional content of the bacterial communities was analyzed, all the treatments induced a dramatic decrease of the aromatic amino acid decarboxylase gene. Our findings suggest that repeated exposure to volatilized cocaine, as well as to the adulterants caffeine and phenacetin, leads to changes in the gut microbiota. Future studies are needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these changes and how this information may support the development of novel treatments in drug addiction. |
X Demographics
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Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 2 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 2 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 73 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 73 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Bachelor | 15 | 21% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 12 | 16% |
| Researcher | 10 | 14% |
| Student > Master | 8 | 11% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 4 | 5% |
| Other | 8 | 11% |
| Unknown | 16 | 22% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroscience | 16 | 22% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 10 | 14% |
| Psychology | 6 | 8% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 6 | 8% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 5 | 7% |
| Other | 9 | 12% |
| Unknown | 21 | 29% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 9. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 06 September 2018.
All research outputs
#3,728,305
of 23,098,660 outputs
Outputs from Neurotoxicity Research
#176
of 889 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#72,191
of 329,833 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Neurotoxicity Research
#3
of 14 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,098,660 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 83rd percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 889 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.3. This one has done well, scoring higher than 80% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 329,833 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 78% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 14 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 78% of its contemporaries.