Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Aug;17(4):28-32.

The Gut-Brain Axis: Influence of Microbiota on Mood and Mental Health

Jeremy Appleton

The Gut-Brain Axis: Influence of Microbiota on Mood and Mental Health

Jeremy Appleton. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018 Aug.

Abstract

The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network that links the enteric and central nervous systems. This network is not only anatomical, but it extends to include endocrine, humoral, metabolic, and immune routes of communication as well. The autonomic nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and nerves within the gastrointestinal tract, all link the gut and the brain, allowing the brain to influence intestinal activities, including activity of functional immune effector cells; and the gut to influence mood, cognition, and mental health.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Carabotti M, Scirocco A, Maselli MA, Severi C. The gut-brain axis: Interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Ann Gastroenterol. 2015;28(2):203-209. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mayer EA, Savidge T, Shulman RJ. Brain-gut microbiome interactions and functional bowel disorders. Gastroenterology. 2014;146:1500-1512. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kennedy PJ, Clarke G, Quigley EM, Groeger JA, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Gut memories: Towards a cognitive neurobiology of irritable bowel syndrome. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2012;36:310-340. - PubMed
    1. Mayer EA. Gut feelings: The emerging biology of gut-brain communication. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2011;12:453-466. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Moloney RD, Desbonnet L, Clarke G, et al. The microbiome: stress, health and disease. Mamm Genome. 2014;25(1-2):49-74. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources