Aged dysbiotic microbiome transplantation before pregnancy led to increased body weight and memory deficits in dams by 12.5 months of age compared to young controls.
Does fecal microbiome transplant from aged donors induce chronic metabolic and spatial memory impairments in young female mice post-pregnancy?
Transplantation of an aged microbiome prior to pregnancy in young mice leads to long-term metabolic and cognitive impairments, suggesting a role for the gut microbiome in maternal aging and post-pregnancy health.
Advanced maternal age is linked to pregnancy-related complications, such as preeclampsia. These complications can elevate the risk for chronic health issues in women long after childbirth, including hypertension and vascular dementia. The role of the gut microbiome on health has been increasingly recognized. Our prior work demonstrated that reconstitution of aged female microbiomes via fecal microbiome transplant (FMT) to young female mice prior to pregnancy induced significant dysbiosis, inflammation, and behavioral deficits in the offspring, but the effects on the dam were not previously explored. In this study, we investigated the chronic impact of maternal dysbiosis on the health of the dam with aging. 3-month-old (3M) young female C57B6 mice underwent antibiotic treatment to clear gut bacteria, followed by FMT from either 3M control, 12- (12M) or 18-month-old (18M) aged donors. Mothers (Dams) receiving aged microbiomes developed distinct biome populations compared to young controls after FMT. After pregnancy, dams with aged dysbiotic microbiomes had higher body weight compared to controls and exhibited impairment in metabolic function. At 12.5-month-old, dams with aged microbiomes during pregnancy exhibited deficits in both spatial short- and long-term memory performance. In conclusion, aged dysbiotic microbiome transplantation prior to pregnancy contributes to chronic metabolic and spatial memory impairments in dams as they age.
Chen et al. (2026) studied this question. Aged dysbiotic microbiome transplantation before pregnancy led to increased body weight and memory deficits in dams by 12.5 months of age compared to young controls.