Beneficial effects of butyrate on brain functions: A view of epigenetic

Abstract

Brain functions are influenced by the presence, activity, and metabolism of the gut microbiota through the gut-microbiota-brain (GMB) axis. The consumption of a fiber-rich diet increases the content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) from bacterial fermentation in the colon. Among SCFAs, butyrate stands out because of its wide array of biological functions, such as ability to influence brain functions. Pharmacologically, sodium butyrate (NaB) regulates gene expression in the brain, where it has several beneficial effects ranging from neurodegenerative diseases to behavioral disorders through inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACis). In this context, we review the mechanisms of action of the two types of butyrate on brain functions, with an emphasis on the epigenetic approach. Both types of butyrate are potentially interesting for the prevention and adjuvant therapy of neurological and psychological disorders due to their neuroprotective functions. However, further studies are needed to investigate the possible neuroepigenetic effects of butyrate derived from bacterial fermentation.

Keywords:

• Butyrate
• gut-microbiota-brain axis
• high-fiber diet
• epigenetics
• brain disorders

Authors’ contributions

Literature survey and first draft writing were done by G.A., G.S, A.A., and the final draft including the revisions were accomplished by M.D. and M.C.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for granting scholarships to G.A and Luana Moraes for the art of the figures present in the article.