Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic health problem marked by an inability to cease or control alcohol use. This disorder significantly disrupts physiological functions, negatively impacting various body systems and posing significant detriment to both individual and societal health. Recent studies have shown that AUD has a significant impact on the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA), which involves a complex interplay of neuroimmunoendocrine and metabolic pathways.
There is strong evidence to suggest that alcohol-induced gut dysbiosis is closely linked to the development of various physiological and behavioral symptoms seen in individuals with AUD. Gut dysbiosis can influence brain functions, potentially modulating drinking motivation, reward mechanisms, and development of alcohol dependence. These observations underscore the potential of gut microbiota as a therapeutic target for AUD.
New approaches like Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT), where healthy gut bacteria are transferred from a healthy donor to a patient, as well as the use of probiotics and prebiotics, show promise as potential treatments for AUD. The role of postbiotics – byproducts of gut bacteria metabolism – in modulating the microbiota-GBA also holds substantial promise in AUD treatment, indicating that a more detailed understanding of the microbiota-gut-brain axis could lead to novel and effective interventions for this complex disorder. This review highlights the need for more research to better understand how the different components of the gut-brain axis interact and how they contribute to the development and progression of AUD.
