Ketamine induced gut microbiota dysbiosis and barrier and hippocampal dysfunction in rats.
iScience November 15, 2024 Lei Xie, Zelin Zhuang, Baowen Guo et al. 5 citations
Ketamine addiction in rats disrupts the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA), leading to altered gut bacteria, damage to the intestinal lining, and changes in brain function. In a conditioned place preference model, ketamine-exposed rats showed reduced brain activity in the hippocampus, damaged hippocampal neurons, shortened ileum villi, and thinner colonic mucosa compared to controls. The abundance of specific gut bacteria correlated with addiction behavior, hippocampal activity, and intestinal damage. These findings suggest that MGBA abnormalities are part of ketamine addiction's mechanism, pointing to potential new treatment targets.