de La Serre Lab

My research is centered on understanding how diet composition modulates behavior, in particular feeding behavior. The vagus nerve is a direct neural pathway that conveys post-ingestive feedback from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to the brain and proper gut-brain communication is critical for regulation of feeding. Thus, my main interest has been to understand how post-ingestive cues from the GI tract are dysregulated to promote overeating. I have focused my efforts on identifying mechanisms by which diet affects vagal sensory neurons signaling, in particular diet-driven alterations in microbiota composition.

June 25, 2025 – Exciting Publication

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Crain, E., Minaya, D. M., & de La Serre, C. B. (2025). "Microbiota-induced inflammation mediates the impacts of a Western diet on hippocampal-dependent memory.", Nutrition Research, 138, 89-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2025.04.002

Klug, M. E., Crain, E., Hayes, A. M., Shanmugam, M. V., de La Serre, C. B., & Kanoski, S. E. (2025). "Endotoxemia-Induced Inflammation in the Absence of Obesity Is Associated With Decreased Anxiety-Like and Impulsive Behavior With no Effect on Learning and Memory", Comprehensive Physiology, 15(5), e70044. https://doi.org/10.1002/cph4.70044

Minaya, D. M., Kim, J. S., Kirkland, R., Allen, J., Cullinan, S., Maclang, N., ... & de La Serre, C. (2024). "Transfer of microbiota from lean donors in combination with prebiotics prevents excessive weight gain and improves gut-brain vagal signaling in obese rats.", Gut Microbes, 16(1), 2421581. https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2024.2421581

Klingbeil, E. A., Schade, R., Lee, S. H., Kirkland, R., & de La Serre, C. B. (2024). " Manipulation of feeding patterns in high fat diet fed rats improves microbiota composition dynamics, inflammation and gut-brain signaling.", Physiology & Behavior, 285, 114643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114643

Ferrario, C. R., Münzberg‐Gruening, H., Rinaman, L., Betley, J. N., Borgland, S. L., Dus, M., ... & Cooke, B. M. (2024). "Obesity‐and diet‐induced plasticity in systems that control eating and energy balance.", Obesity, 32(8), 1425-1440. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24060

Kim, J. S., Williams, K. C., Kirkland, R. A., Schade, R., Freeman, K. G., Cawthon, C. R., ... & de La Serre, C. B. (2023). "The gut-brain axis mediates bacterial driven modulation of reward signaling.", Molecular Metabolism, 75, 101764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101764

Schade, R., Song, L., Cordner, Z. A., Ding, H., Peterson, D. A., Moran, T. H., ... & de La Serre, C. B. (2023). "Rat offspring's microbiota composition is predominantly shaped by the postnatal maternal diet rather than prenatal diet.", Physiology & behavior, 258, 113987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113987

Rautmann, A. W., & de La Serre, C. B. (2021). "Microbiota’s role in diet-driven alterations in food intake: satiety, energy balance, and reward.", Nutrients, 13(9), 3067. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13093067

Cawthon, C. R., & de La Serre, C. B. (2021). "The critical role of CCK in the regulation of food intake and diet-induced obesity.", Peptides, 138, 170492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2020.170492

McDougle, M., Quinn, D., Diepenbroek, C., Singh, A., de la Serre, C., & de Lartigue, G. (2021). "Intact vagal gut‐brain signalling prevents hyperphagia and excessive weight gain in response to high‐fat high‐sugar diet.", Acta Physiologica, 231(3), e13530. https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.13530

Cawthon, C. R., Kirkland, R. A., Pandya, S., Brinson, N. A., & de La Serre, C. B. (2020). "Non-neuronal crosstalk promotes an inflammatory response in nodose ganglia cultures after exposure to byproducts from gram positive, high-fat-diet-associated gut bacteria.", Physiology & behavior, 226, 113124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113124

Kim, J. S., Kirkland, R. A., Lee, S. H., Cawthon, C. R., Rzepka, K. W., Minaya, D. M., ... & de La Serre, C. B. (2020). "Gut microbiota composition modulates inflammation and structure of the vagal afferent pathway.", Physiology & behavior, 225, 113082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113082

Singh, A., de La Serre, C., & de Lartigue, G. (2020). "Gut microbiota sPARk vagus nerve excitation.", The Journal of physiology, 598(11), 2043. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP279763

Klingbeil, E. A., Cawthon, C., Kirkland, R., & de La Serre, C. B. (2019). "Potato-resistant starch supplementation improves microbiota dysbiosis, inflammation, and gut–brain signaling in high fat-fed rats.", Nutrients, 11(11), 2710. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11112710

Lee, S., Kirkland, R., Grunewald, Z. I., Sun, Q., Wicker, L., & de La Serre, C. B. (2019). "Beneficial effects of non-encapsulated or encapsulated probiotic supplementation on microbiota composition, intestinal barrier functions, inflammatory profiles, and glucose tolerance in high fat fed rats.", Nutrients, 11(9), 1975. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11091975

Grunewald, Z. I., Lee, S., Kirkland, R., Ross, M., & de La Serre, C. B. (2019). "Cannabinoid receptor type-1 partially mediates metabolic endotoxemia-induced inflammation and insulin resistance.", Physiology & Behavior, 199, 282-291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.11.035

Klingbeil, E., & de La Serre, C. B. (2018). " Microbiota modulation by eating patterns and diet composition: impact on food intake.", American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 315(6), R1254-R1260. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00037.2018

Lee, S., Keirsey, K. I., Kirkland, R., Grunewald, Z. I., Fischer, J. G., & de La Serre, C. B. (2018). "Blueberry supplementation influences the gut microbiota, inflammation, and insulin resistance in high-fat-diet–fed rats.", The Journal of nutrition, 148(2), 209-219. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxx027

Cawthon, C. R., & de La Serre, C. B. (2018). "Gut bacteria interaction with vagal afferents.", Brain research, 1693, 134-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2018.01.012

Kim, J. S., & de La Serre, C. B. (2018). "Diet, gut microbiota composition and feeding behavior.", Physiology & Behavior, 192, 177-181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.03.026

Lee, S., Keirsey, K. I., Kirkland, R., Grunewald, Z. I., Fischer, J. G., & de La Serre, C. B. (2018). "Blueberry supplementation influences the gut microbiota, inflammation, and insulin resistance in high-fat-diet–fed rats.", The Journal of nutrition, 148(2), 209-219. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxx027

de La Serre, C. B., Kim, Y. J., Moran, T. H., & Bi, S. (2016). "Dorsomedial hypothalamic NPY affects cholecystokinin-induced satiety via modulation of brain stem catecholamine neuronal signaling.", American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 311(5), R930-R939. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00184.2015

Lee, S., Kirkland, R., Fischer, J. G., & de La Serre, C. (2016). "Blueberry supplementation impacts gut microbiota, inflammatory profiles, and insulin sensitivity in high‐fat fed rats.", The FASEB Journal, 30, 692-25. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.692.25

de La Serre, C. B., de Lartigue, G., & Raybould, H. E. (2015). "Chronic exposure to low dose bacterial lipopolysaccharide inhibits leptin signaling in vagal afferent neurons", Physiology & behavior, 139, 188-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.10.032

Lee, S. H., & de La Serre, C. B. (2015). "Gut microbiome-brain communications regulate host physiology and behavior." Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Science, 3, 1-12. : http://dx.doi.org/10.15226/jnhfs.2015.00141

de La Serre, C. B., Ellis, C. L., Lee, J., Hartman, A. L., Rutledge, J. C., & Raybould, H. E. (2010). "Propensity to high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats is associated with changes in the gut microbiota and gut inflammation". American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 299(2), G440-G448. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00098.2010