Probiotic potential of Phocaeicola coprocola in modulating learning and memory behaviors in the honeybee model

Mengqi Xu¹Xiaohan Zhang^1,2Xi Luo¹Guanzhou Zhou^1,2Nana Zhang¹Xiaoyan Chi¹Rongrong Ren¹Li-Hua Peng¹Gang Sun¹Yunsheng Yang^1,3*

• ¹People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
• ²Nankai University, Tianjin, China
• ³National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China

Gut microbial therapy has emerged as a prominent research topic for brain function and disorders. The depletion of Phocaeicola coprocola has been observed in some brain disorders, indicating its potential protective and beneficial roles. We investigated the effects of P. coprocola on cognition in honeybees (Apis mellifera), a new model of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Supplementation with P. coprocola was associated with improved learning and memory compared to the control bees. This intervention also led to increased gut diversity and notable shifts in intestinal lipid metabolism, particularly in glycerophospholipid pathways. Furthermore, the increase in protective lipid molecules, such as phosphatidylcholine, glycerophosphocholine, and glycerophosphoethanolamine, was strongly correlated with Gilliamella apicola, Bifidobacterium asteroides, and Bombella apis. P. coprocola has potential as a probiotic candidate for modulating cognition-related processes via gut microbial and metabolic interactions. Moreover, the honeybee model offers a valuable platform for preclinical investigation of microbiota-gut-brain relationships and probiotic screening.