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. 2018 Jun 6;126(6):062001.
doi: 10.1289/EHP3127. eCollection 2018 Jun.

What Is Your Gut Telling You? Exploring the Role of the Microbiome in Gut-Brain Signaling

Lindsey Konkel

What Is Your Gut Telling You? Exploring the Role of the Microbiome in Gut-Brain Signaling

Lindsey Konkel. Environ Health Perspect. .
No abstract available

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Figures

Photograph of an infant being born
From the moment of birth—and possibly even earlier—our microbiomes begin to develop. There is evidence that a healthy gut microbiome is important for brain development, but as toxicologist Matt Rand explains, “the complexity of the microbiome, with many thousands of microbial species existing as a community, predicts that individual ‘superbugs’ are not likely to be found that single-handedly mediate a gut–brain benefit or detriment.” Image: © Andesign101/iStockphoto.
Photograph of a laboratory mouse in a maze
Germ-free mice are well suited for microbiome research because they can be selectively inoculated with microbes of interest. Experiments with germ-free mice have yielded intriguing clues about the possible influence of the gut microbiome on behavior and neurodevelopment. However, it is still unclear whether these findings are relevant to humans. Image: © muratsenel/iStockphoto.
Photograph of a farmer spraying pesticides on a field in Thailand
Laboratory research has shown that several environmental chemicals can change the composition and functional capacity of the gut microbiome. For example, studies in mice showed that diazinon, an organophosphate pesticide, altered the animals’ microbiomes in sex-specific ways, with males affected more negatively than females. The implications for humans are unknown. Image: © pailoolom/iStockphoto.
Photograph of king mackerel cooking on a grill
Certain microbes in the gut are thought to convert methylmercury to a less toxic form that is more readily excreted. A 2012 study showed that mice treated with antibiotics to suppress their native gut flora excreted less mercury than untreated mice. If findings like these are replicated in humans, it could have important implications for people who eat a lot of fish. Image: © nobtis/iStockphoto.
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