How a mother's diet shapes her child's gut–brain connection
Maternal diet and programming of offspring gut-brain axis
Researchers are testing whether a mother's high‑fat diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding changes how a child's gut and brain talk to each other and raises risk for obesity and diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11370187 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research uses a rat model to see whether a mother's high‑fat diet during pregnancy and lactation changes how her offspring's gut, vagus nerve, and brain communicate. The team will measure offspring feeding behavior and sensitivity to gut hormones and nutrients, examine the structure and function of vagal nerve connections, and check gut hormone‑producing cells and the microbiome. By linking these changes to how meals end and appetite is controlled, they aim to explain why early diet exposure can increase lifelong risk of obesity and metabolic disease. The work is preclinical and performed in the laboratory rather than enrolling people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll human participants, but its results will be most relevant to pregnant people, infants, and families worried about childhood obesity and future adult‑onset diabetes.
Not a fit: People already living with established adult‑onset diabetes are unlikely to receive direct, immediate benefits from this animal‑based study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to early‑life prevention strategies or new targets (dietary, microbial, or nerve‑based) to reduce childhood obesity and later diabetes risk.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have shown maternal high‑fat diets can alter offspring weight and gut microbes, but tying those changes specifically to vagal gut–brain signaling is less established and is a more novel area.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tamashiro, Kellie L. K. — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Tamashiro, Kellie L. K.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.