Binge drinking refers to the excessive consumption of alcohol in a short period of time and is the most common pattern of alcohol misuse during adolescence in Western societies. The problem has been associated with a series of cognitive and anatomical alterations and increased risk of mental disorders and alcohol use disorder (AUD) in later years. A linkage between the severity of AUD and microbiome alterations was made by a few recent studies, implying the involvement of gut microbiome in AUD development. In a study of 71 young people who reported alcohol use in Ireland, neuropsychological and laboratory tests were performed to identify early biomarkers of alcohol misuse before developing an addiction. From this study, an association between gut microbiome alterations and emotional recognition difficulties was revealed. Reductions in Ruminococcaceae in gut were linked to higher craving, which makes this species a potential early biomarker of alcohol craving. Findings of this study further support the importance of microbiome-gut-brain axis as a bidirectional pathway of communication for the development of psychological disorders.

Reference:

Carbia et al. EBioMedicine. doi:10.1016/J.EBIOM.2023.104442