THAT GUT FEELING…IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN YOUR GUT MICROBES AND PERSONALITY?
Anyone over 18 years of age is welcome to take part.
About our study:
Our main research question is whether gut microbiome profiles of humans differ in relation to our personality traits
This would be the first study to demonstrate a connection between our gut microbiome and personality in an adult population. The idea that microbes may influence our personality is a ‘new frontier’ but there is accumulating evidence in support of this notion. For instance, a study involving two different strains of mice with contrasting temperaments (one anxious and timid, the other bold) showed that when their gut microbiomes were swapped, the anxious strain became more bold and vice versa. Such results therefore suggest that gut microbes may contribute considerably to behavioral traits. Research has also demonstrated that manipulating the gut microbiome can reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, as well as influencing certain receptors in the brain and the activity of brain regions involved in emotional processing.