microorganisms Article A Mediation Analysis to Identify Links between Gut Bacteria and Memory in Context of Human Milk Oligosaccharides Stephen A. Fleming 1,* , Jonas Hauser 2, Jian Yan 3, Sharon M. Donovan 4,5 , Mei Wang 4 and Ryan N. Dilger 1,5,6,7 1 Traverse Science, Inc., Champaign, IL 61820, USA;
[email protected] 2 Société des Produits Nestlé SA, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland;
[email protected] 3 Nestlé Product Technology Center Nutrition, CH-1800 Vevey, Switzerland;
[email protected] 4 Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
[email protected] (S.M.D.);
[email protected] (M.W.) 5 Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA 6 Piglet Nutrition and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA 7 Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: Elucidating relationships between the gut and brain is of intense research focus. Multiple studies have demonstrated that modulation of the intestinal environment via prebiotics or probiotics can induce cognitively beneficial effects, such as improved memory or reduced anxiety. However, the mechanisms by which either act remain largely unknown. We previously demonstrated that different types of oligosaccharides affected short- and long-term memory in distinct ways. Given that the oligosaccharide content of human milk is highly variable, and that formula-fed infants typically do not consume similar amounts or types of oligosaccharides, their potential effects on brain Citation: Fleming, S.A.; Hauser, J.; development warrant investigation. Herein, a mediation analysis was performed on existing datasets, Yan, J.; Donovan, S.M.; Wang, M.; including relative abundance of bacterial genera, gene expression, brain volume, and cognition in Dilger, R.N.