AndyPR
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http://neurosciencenews.com/gut-microbes-cortisol-7338/Gut Microbes May Talk to the Brain Through Cortisol
ARTICLES7 MIN READ
Summary: Researchers identify a predictive relationship between serotonin, cortisol and fecal microbiota. The study provides additional support for previous findings that implicate gut bacteria in ASD.
Source: University of Illinois.
Gut microbes have been in the news a lot lately. Recent studies show they can influence human health, behavior, and certain neurological disorders, such as autism. But just how do they communicate with the brain? Results from a new University of Illinois study suggest a pathway of communication between certain gut bacteria and brain metabolites, by way of a compound in the blood known as cortisol. And unexpectedly, the finding provides a potential mechanism to explain the characteristics of autism.
“Changes in neurometabolites during infancy can have profound effects on brain development, and it is possible that the microbiome — or collection of bacteria, fungi, and viruses inhabiting our gut — plays a role in this process,” says Austin Mudd, a doctoral student in the Neuroscience Program at U of I. “However, it is unclear which specific gut bacteria are most influential during brain development and what factors, if any, might influence the relationship between the gut and the brain.”
Another article I thought was quite interesting.