During the Ri.MED Symposium 2024, held recently in Palermo (Italy) Microbiomepost conducted an exclusive interview with Nathalie Maria Delzenne from Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium).
This interview explores the role of metabolomics in understanding alcohol dependence, particularly how gut microbiota and systemic inflammation impact cravings and depressive symptoms in affected individuals.
Using advanced metabolomic approaches, the researcher’s team has identified specific metabolites in alcoholic patients that correlate with gut barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and behavioral outcomes.
Notably, harmful phenyl compounds are elevated, while protective metabolites, like indoles, are reduced in these patients. Recent studies further highlight lipidic metabolites in the brain and blood as potential biomarkers linked to alcohol cravings. The interview also discusses pioneering non-invasive techniques for analyzing volatile metabolites in breath, revealing how dietary fiber interventions can modulate these metabolites, reflecting gut microbiome interactions.
This research holds promise for identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for alcohol dependence and dietary responses, advancing personalized and non-invasive diagnostic tools.
