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Magnetic brain stimulation associated with microbiota change, weight loss in patients with obesity
ORLANDO, Fla. — A noninvasive electromagnetic brain stimulation technique may help patients with obesity to lose weight by changing the composition of their gut microbiota, according to findings presented at the Endocrine Society Annual Meeting in Orlando.
The procedure, called deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS), consists of an electromagnetic coil that is placed on the scalp and sends impulses into deep regions of the brain. The device requires no implantation of electrodes.
In the initial study, Livio Luzi, MD, professor at the Università Degli Studi di Milano, and colleagues found that patients treated with dTMS continued to lose weight after the 5-week treatment period.
“The treatment is only 5 weeks, but we followed these patients up to a year, and they kept on losing weight and eating less over 6 months,” Luzi said during a press conference. “We could not explain why at the beginning. For this reason, we undertook a number of other study protocols, and looking at the microbiota is one of these protocols, trying to find an explanation of the long-lasting effect of only 5 weeks of brain stimulation.”
In this substudy investigating microbiota, participants (n = 14; aged 22 to 65) with obesity (BMI 30 kg/m2 to 45 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to dTMS or sham for 5 weeks, three sessions per week. Stool samples were used for microbiota analysis.
After 5 weeks of treatment, participants in the research arm lost more than 3% of their body weight and more than 4% of their fat mass vs. those who did not receive dTMS. Analysis of the participants’ microbiota showed more beneficial bacteria in the study group compared with the control group.
The researchers also found reductions in thyroid-stimulating hormone (15.6%; P < .05), prolactin (42.1%; P < .01), adrenocorticotropic hormone (36.3%; P <.01) and norepinephrine (30.2%; P < .05) in participants who had received dTMS.
In the dTMS-treated participants, norepinephrine change significantly correlated with decrease of Lactobacillus (R2 = .607; P < .05) and increase of the anti-inflammatory bacterium Parabacteroides (R2 = .65; P < .01). Glucose reduction was significantly inversely correlated with the Faecalibacterium increment (R2 = .642; P < .01).
“These changes suggest a beneficial effect of dTMS on both weight loss and change in microbiota composition,” Luzi said in a news release. “Our preliminary findings suggest the innovative ability of dTMS in exerting anti-obesity effects also through alteration of the gut-brain axis.” – by Cassie Homer
Reference:
Luzi L, et al. LB-SUN-72. Presented at: The Endocrine Society Annual Meeting; April 1-4, 2017; Orlando.
Disclosure : Luzi reports no relevant financial disclosures.
Perspective
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This intriguing study shows that brain stimulation for 5 weeks causes changes in gut microbiota and a 3% weight loss. The brain stimulation could have caused earlier satiety or a change in food preferences that caused the weight loss and led to a change in gut microbiota. We know that dietary changes alter composition of gut microbiota.
In order to further investigate these findings, we need to measure food intake in terms of calories and macronutrient content before and after brain stimulation, as well as weight and gut microbiota both in the short term and after 6 months and 1 year.
Does the change in gut hormones precede the change in gut microbiota or vice versa?
Does brain stimulation change gut hormone secretion first, and then does that lead to a change in gut microbiota?
Does brain stimulation change food preference, and does that then lead to a change in gut microbiota?
These are all questions that arise from this pilot study, and much more research is needed.