Electroacupuncture alleviates comorbid obesity and depression via the gut-brain axis: orchestrating SCFA-producing bacteria and hippocampal synaptic plasticity

Our findings suggest that EA ameliorates COMBD via a coordinated "Microbiota-Metabolism-Brain" axis. Specifically, EA creates a neuroprotective milieu by promoting beneficial SCFA-producing bacteria and regulating metabolic signals, which subsequently targets hippocampal Cd74 to restore synaptic plasticity. This study provides a novel mechanistic basis for the clinical application of EA in treating complex metabolic-mood comorbidities.