Current Projects
Enrollment year: fourth-year
Project level: dissertation thesis
Title: Identifying the combined and differential influence of alcohol and cannabis use on measures of microbial diversity and community composition within a human sample of substance users
Background: The role of the bidirectional microbiome-gut-brain (MGBA) axis in psychiatric disorders, including substance abuse, is becoming increasingly apparent. The human intestinal microbiota possesses some resilience to perturbations. However, chronic substance use can disrupt the gut microbial ecosystem, resulting in microbial dysbiosis, altered intestinal permeability, and impaired host immune function and host metabolic health. Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with gut dysbiosis, while some cannabinoids can exhibit protective anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects that may stabilize the gut microbiome diversity and community composition. However, the differential influences of alcohol and cannabis on gut microbial diversity and gut microbial community structure remain to be elucidated. The present study utilizes cross-sectional data from three independent studies comprising treatment-engaged heavy drinkers and recreational cannabis users to identify differences in microbial diversity and identify differentially abundant taxa among heavy users of either substance. The purpose of this project is to identify characteristic differences in the gut microbiota among these two substance use populations in relation to the peripheral expression of inflammatory biomarkers, methylation of intestinal inflammatory genes, and mental health.