The Impact and Mechanism of Arabinoxylan on Behavioral Regulation in PSD Rats via Gut Microbiota Modulation

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which arabinoxylan modulates gut microbiota and promotes neuronal function recovery in post-stroke depression (PSD) rats. Methods The PSD rat model was established using the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Behavioral changes were observed, and 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze gut microbiome alterations. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to measure serum levels of serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), and dopamine (DA). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in the frontal cortex. Results Arabinoxylan significantly increased activity levels in PSD rats, enriched the diversity of gut microbiota, elevated the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters (5-HT, NE, and DA), and upregulated the expression of BDNF mRNA in the frontal cortex. Conclusion Arabinoxylan ameliorates depressive-like behavior in PSD rats, enhances gut microbiota diversity, potentially upregulates the expression of monoamine neurotransmitters (5-HT, NE, and DA) via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, and increases BDNF mRNA levels in the frontal cortex, thereby promoting neuronal function recovery.