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microbiota

·December 12, 2024·8 min read

Gut Serotonin Plays Role in Depression and Mood

Serotonin in the gut epithelium plays a critical role in modulating mood and may provide a safer target for treating depression and anxiety. In animal studies, increasing gut serotonin improved mood symptoms without causing digestive issues, unlike systemic antidepressant treatments.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 3, 2024·5 min read

Gut Microbes May Have Powered Evolution of Larger Brains

A new study suggests that gut microbes played a key role in the evolution of larger brains in primates by influencing energy production and usage. Researchers implanted microbes from humans, squirrel monkeys (large-brained species), and macaques (small-brained species) into mice, observing that microbes from larger-brained primates enhanced energy production, while those from smaller-brained primates favored fat storage.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 2, 2024·6 min read

Personal Gut Environments Shape How We Digest, Absorb Food

Individual differences in gut physiology and environment play a major role in shaping our gut microbiome and how we process food. Using a smart capsule to measure pH, temperature, and pressure, researchers found significant variations in digestion time and gut conditions between people.

This shows chemical imaging of the microbiome.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 21, 2024·5 min read

Parkinson’s Medication Alters Microbiome, Induces Iron Deficiency

The Parkinson's drug entacapone disrupts the gut microbiome by inducing iron deficiency, favoring the growth of potentially harmful bacteria like E. coli. Using advanced molecular techniques, researchers identified that entacapone interferes with iron availability, a critical resource for many gut microbes.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 21, 2024·4 min read

Stimulating the Vagus Nerve to Tackle Gut Inflammation in IBD

Researchers have discovered that vagus nerve stimulation may reduce gut inflammation and improve outcomes for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study reveals how electrical stimulation of this brain-gut nerve impacts SUMOylation, a cellular process driving immune responses, to alleviate symptoms and promote healing.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 14, 2024·3 min read

Microbial Load, Not Disease, Shapes Gut Microbiome Signatures

A new study reveals that changes in gut microbial load, influenced by factors like diet, age, and antibiotics, drive the presence of bacteria previously linked to diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Using a machine learning model, researchers found that microbial load variations explained bacterial signatures in patients' microbiomes more strongly than the diseases themselves.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 7, 2024·5 min read

Gut Bacteria Could Hold the Key to Promoting Healthy Aging

Certain gut bacteria may play crucial roles in aging, with implications for promoting healthier aging. Research conducted on over 200 octogenarians found a decline in key bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and a compensatory increase in other species that help maintain gut health.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 5, 2024·5 min read

Gut Bacteria Modulate Stress Responses Over Time

New research has unveiled how gut bacteria play a key role in regulating stress by interacting with circadian rhythms, opening possibilities for microbiome-based therapies for mental health. Researchers found that depletion of certain gut bacteria can lead to time-specific increases in stress responses through the HPA axis, the body's central stress response system. Specific bacteria, such as Limosilactobacillus reuteri, were identified as crucial to modulating stress hormones throughout the day.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 4, 2024·4 min read

Keto Diet May Ease Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

New research suggests the ketogenic diet could help manage multiple sclerosis (MS) by promoting the production of beneficial compounds in the gut. In a study, mice on a keto diet produced the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB), which worked with gut bacteria to create immune-modulating metabolites.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 24, 2024·4 min read

Gut Bacteria Linked to Alzheimer’s Progression

Researchers have discovered that the gut bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae can migrate to the brain, leading to inflammation and cognitive decline that mimic Alzheimer’s symptoms. The study suggests that hospital-acquired infections combined with disrupted gut microbiomes may increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 5, 2024·4 min read

First Gut Microbiome Map for Personalized Food Responses

A recent study has mapped how molecules in food interact with gut bacteria, revealing why people respond differently to the same diets. By examining 150 dietary compounds, researchers found that these molecules can reshape gut microbiomes in some individuals, while having little effect in others.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 26, 2024·5 min read

Gut Microbiome and Aspirin May Reverse Hormonal Issues

Researchers found that mutations in the Sox3 gene cause hypopituitarism, a condition where the pituitary gland produces insufficient hormones, leading to growth issues and infertility. In a study on mice, they discovered that Sox3 mutations affect brain cells called NG2 glia, which are essential for hormone production.

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microbiota

Gut Serotonin Plays Role in Depression and Mood

Gut Microbes May Have Powered Evolution of Larger Brains

Personal Gut Environments Shape How We Digest, Absorb Food

Parkinson’s Medication Alters Microbiome, Induces Iron Deficiency

Stimulating the Vagus Nerve to Tackle Gut Inflammation in IBD

Microbial Load, Not Disease, Shapes Gut Microbiome Signatures

Gut Bacteria Could Hold the Key to Promoting Healthy Aging

Gut Bacteria Modulate Stress Responses Over Time

Keto Diet May Ease Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

Gut Bacteria Linked to Alzheimer’s Progression

First Gut Microbiome Map for Personalized Food Responses

Gut Microbiome and Aspirin May Reverse Hormonal Issues

How Severe Illness During Pregnancy Alters Fetal Brain Development

Aging Brains Maintain Robust Language Networks Despite Cognitive Decline

Youth Protein TIMP2 Restores Immune Function in the Aging Brain

Shame, Stigma, and Culture Prevent Male Domestic Violence Survivors From Seeking Help

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