Depicting the molecular mechanisms by which gut microbiome mediates excessive immune activation in binge eating and alcohol use disorders.

My PhD project investigates how gut microbiota dysregulation contributes to neuroimmune mechanisms underlying vulnerability to compulsive behaviors such as binge eating and alcohol use disorders. Using adolescent male and female rat models, I examine how chronic mild stress and dietary manipulations influence microglial activation and morphology across key brain regions, including the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices. I also study how high-fat/high-sugar diet exposure affects hypothalamic inflammation and feeding behavior prior to obesity onset. By combining behavioral, immunohistochemical, and microbiome analyses, this work aims to elucidate sex-specific neuroimmune pathways linking gut–brain axis alterations to maladaptive reward consumption and to identify potential targets for future preventive interventions.