Pesticide exposure and the microbiota-gut-brain axis

The gut microbiota exist within a dynamic ecosystem shaped by various factors that includes exposure to xenobiotics such as pesticides. It is widely regarded that the gut microbiota plays an essential role in maintaining host health, including a major influence on the brain and behaviour. Given the widespread use of pesticides in modern agriculture practices, it is important to assess the long-term collateral effects these xenobiotic exposures have on gut microbiota composition and function. Indeed, exposure studies using animal models have shown that pesticides can induce negative impacts on the host gut microbiota, physiology and health. In tandem, there is a growing body of literature showing that the effects of pesticide exposure can be extended to the manifestation of behavioural impairments in the host. With the increasing appreciation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, in this review we assess whether pesticide-induced changes in gut microbiota composition profiles and functions could be driving these behavioural alterations. Currently, the diversity of pesticide type, exposure dose and variation in experimental designs hinders direct comparisons of studies presented. Although many insights presented, the mechanistic connection between the gut microbiota and behavioural changes remains insufficiently explored. Future experiments should therefore focus on causal mechanisms to examine the gut microbiota as the mediator of the behavioural impairments observed in the host following pesticide exposure.

Automated summary

The gut microbiota, influenced by various factors including exposure to pesticides, plays a crucial role in maintaining host health, particularly influencing the brain and behavior. Studies on animals have shown that pesticides can negatively impact the gut microbiota, physiology, and health, leading to behavioral impairments. This review aims to assess whether changes in gut microbiota composition and function induced by pesticides are responsible for these behavioral alterations. However, the diversity in pesticide types, exposure doses, and experimental designs hinders direct comparisons between studies, and the mechanistic connection between the gut microbiota and behavioral changes remains insufficiently explored.