A gut feeling: Exploring the effects of probiotics on risk-taking behavior using TMS

This study explores the impact of the gut-brain axis (GBA) on risk-taking through a 4-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled probiotics protocol and the Maastricht Gambling Task (MGT). We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), a region thought to mediate GBA signals in risk-related decisions. Continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) targeted the VMPFC, with the superior parietal lobule (SPL) and sham as control conditions, applied before and after the probiotics/placebo intervention. Results show that probiotics significantly increased risky choices and response times in the MGT compared to placebo, without reducing choice optimality. VMPFC stimulation, independent of probiotics intake, also led to riskier choices when controlling for task repetition. The nonsignificant interaction between probiotics and VMPFC stimulation suggests that the VMPFC does not play a key functional role in the effects of probiotics on risk-taking behavior. These findings offer insights into GBA influences on human decision-making through probiotics.