Beneficial effects of butyrate on brain functions: A view of epigenetic.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing mechanistic and preclinical literature without systematic review methodology or new human data
PubMed 36287024 · doi:10.1080/10408398.2022.2137776
What was done
The authors reviewed published literature on the mechanisms by which gut microbiota-derived butyrate and pharmacological sodium butyrate affect brain function via the gut-microbiota-brain axis, focusing on epigenetic regulation through histone deacetylase inhibition.
What was found
The abstract reports no empirical quantitative data or numerical effect sizes. It describes qualitative mechanistic pathways where butyrate functions as a histone deacetylase inhibitor to alter brain gene expression and provide neuroprotection against neurodegenerative and behavioral disorders.
Why it matters
It summarizes mechanistic links between dietary fiber fermentation, gut microbial metabolites, and neuroepigenetic regulation, pointing toward potential adjuvant strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders.
Limits
The paper is a non-systematic narrative review with no new human data. Causality in humans is unestablished, and the abstract notes that direct neuroepigenetic effects of bacterially derived butyrate require further empirical investigation.
Cited by
- supports Short-chain fatty acids produced by gut bacteria travel to the brain and regulate gene expression.