Gut-brain axis insights: why the microbiota holds therapeutic potential for neuro-developmental disorders
Posted 17th April 2020 by Liv Sewell
Evidence is emerging that there are important connections between the gut microbiome and neurodevelopmental disorders. In a guest post for World Autism Awareness Month this April, Chris Kenji Beer reviews recent discoveries.
Exploring the gut-brain axis in neurodevelopmental disorders
Posted 30th March 2020 by Joshua Sewell
In the last decade, research has well established (relatively speaking) the impact of gut microbiota on host physiology and behaviour. We know that the gut and the brain communicate bidirectionally. The gut-brain axis includes nerval, endocrine and immunologic pathways. What is less well established is whether alterations in gut microbial composition can affect brain structure and function in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Microbiome linked to depression in a groundbreaking Benelux study
Posted 19th February 2019 by Joshua Sewell
This article is republished with kind permission from Biovox. The original article can be found here.
The microbiome had been at the forefront of a lot of research and news in the past few years. Now, a new study published in Nature Microbiology has linked specific microbiome changes with depression and quality of life. The largest of its kind to-date, the research was made possible by over 2000 participants from the Flemish Gut Flora Project and the Dutch LifeLines DEEP project. The results may lead to novel therapies for people suffering from this debilitating mental illness.
5 things I learned about gut dysbiosis after a major environmental disaster
Posted 25th January 2019 by Joshua Sewell
In December 2014, a major flood in north-eastern Peninsular Malaysia affected more than 200,000 people leaving them homeless, with no clean water, and sick with diseases including dengue fever, typhoid, leptospirosis and acute gastroenteritis (approximately 30% of flood-affected population). After 6 months, many were still affected by illness including persistent abdominal pain and diarrhoea. We investigated two of the worst flood-affected communities (Figure A) on their microbiota profile and if a probiotic can help. Following are 5 points I have learned from this invaluable experience:
The gut-brain axis: a new leverage to improve brain conditions
Posted 18th January 2019 by Jane Williams
Recent progress in science pinpoints that the gut-brain axis may be modulated by a class of probiotics called psychobiotics. These progresses shed lights on a new area of research and new ways to treat a broad spectrum of complex central nervous system diseases.
Microbiome Research and Development: An Open Letter From Sarkis Mazmanian
Posted 6th September 2017 by Jane Williams
Dear Colleagues,
The concept of the gut-brain axis (GBA) has been around for some time. Yet, the idea that the gut microbiota could regulate the GBA is relatively recent.