# How gut microbes could drive brain disorders

- Link: https://www.widthness.com/how-gut-microbes-could-drive-brain-disorders/
- Published: 2021-02-05T09:15:24-06:00
- Author: Curated by Theresa Wysocki

Image: A scanning electron micrograph of bacteria in human faeces, in which 50% of species originate from the gut. Eye of Science/SPL. Article by Cassandra Willyard. Nature – February 3, 2021. Scientists are starting to work out how the gut microbiome can affect brain health. That might lead to better and easier treatments for brain diseases. In 2006, soon after she launched her own laboratory, neuroscientist Jane Foster discovered something she felt sure would set her field abuzz. She and her team were working with two groups of mice: one with a healthy selection of microorganisms in their guts, and one that lacked a microbiome. They noticed that the mice without gut bacteria seemed less anxious than their healthy equivalents. When placed in a maze with some open paths and some walled-in ones, they preferred the exposed paths. The bacteria in the gut seemed to be influencing their brain and behaviour. […] Click here to view original web page at www.nature.com Curated by Theresa Wysocki See Full Bio