Gut Brain Axis News and Research

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Unraveling gut-to-brain communication paves way for targeted treatments

Scientists at Flinders University have, for the first time, identified a specific type of sensory nerve ending in the gut and how these may 'talk' to the spinal cord, communicating pain or discomfort to the brain.

30 Mar 2020

Gut bacteria composition and diversity linked to human personality traits

Dr. Katerina Johnson, who conducted her Ph.D. in the University's Department of Experimental Psychology, was researching the science of that 'gut feeling' - the relationship between the bacteria living in the gut (the gut microbiome) and behavioral traits.

12 Feb 2020

Gut microbiome linked to behavioral problems in children

Children with behavioral problems may have different compositions in their gut microbiome, with parents playing a major role in how pronounced the differences were, other than the food they provide, a new study suggests.

21 Jan 2020

TBI impairs growth hormone production, disrupting cognition, memory and sleep

More than 2.5 million people in the United States alone experience a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, each year. Some of these people are plagued by a seemingly unrelated cascade of health issues for years after their head injury, including fatigue, depression, anxiety, memory issues, and sleep disturbances.

21 Jan 2020

Drops containing a specific probiotic strain can reduce colic in infants

Probiotics--or "good bacteria"--have been used to treat infant colic with varying success. In a new trial published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, investigators have shown that drops containing a particular probiotic strain (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12) reduced the duration of daily crying by more than 50% in 80% of the 40 infants who received the probiotic once daily for 28 days.

4 Dec 2019

New insights into how immune system and inflammation play a role in PD

Relatively new research findings indicating that the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) may occur in the gut have been gaining traction in recent years. In a review published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, Tomasz Brudek, PhD, evaluates evidence for the association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and PD and proposes directions for future research.

14 Nov 2019

Unhealthy gut microbiome reduces brain synaptic pruning, impairs learning

A new study by Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University has come up with more explanations of how gut microbes communicate with the brain neurons. The study, published in the journal Nature on October 23, 2019, examined the brains of mouse models and found that when the gut microbiome is significantly reduced, there are changes in gene expression in the brain’s microglial cells.

24 Oct 2019

Molecular processes underlying communication between gut microbes and brain cells revealed

New cellular and molecular processes underlying communication between gut microbes and brain cells have been described for the first time by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell's Ithaca campus.

23 Oct 2019

Abnormal gut bacteria linked to poor cognitive performance in vets with PTSD and cirrhosis

A study involving military veterans with PTSD and cirrhosis of the liver points to an abnormal mix of bacteria in the intestines as a possible driver of poor cognitive performance--and as a potential target for therapy.

13 Sep 2019

New strategy may strengthen gut-brain communication

Scientists have developed a strategy that raises the volume of gut-body communication, paving the way for new interventions to improve human health.

28 Jun 2019

Gut microbiota linked with temperament traits in young children

Scientists in the FinnBrain research project of the University of Turku discovered that the gut microbes of a 2.5-month-old infant are associated with the temperament traits manifested at six months of age.

18 Jun 2019

Study confirms gut-brain link in autism

People with autism often suffer from gut problems, but nobody has known why. Researchers have now discovered the same gene mutations – found both in the brain and the gut – could be the cause.

31 May 2019

Combination of different treatments can have a positive effect for IBS sufferers

The more abnormalities in intestinal and brain function that IBS sufferers have, the more severe their symptoms of this functional bowel disorder, and the more adversely their everyday life is affected.

15 May 2019

Microbiome science may help doctors to improve treatment for children with IBS

To improve the treatment of children with irritable bowel syndrome, investigators have developed a sophisticated way to analyze the microbial and metabolic contents of the gut.

17 Apr 2019

Stressed IBS sufferers exhibit a distinctive microbial signature in the gut

People who suffer from stress-related Irritable Bowel Syndrome have a distinctive microbial signature in their gut.

5 Mar 2019

Experts explore involvement of the gut in Parkinson's disease

There is growing evidence that at least in some patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), the disease may begin in the gut. Writing in a special supplement to the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, experts explore the last two decades of research about the gut-brain axis in PD and look ahead at the possible development and impact of these research areas in the next two decades.

8 Feb 2019

Study shows how gut bacteria affect the treatment of Parkinson's disease

Patients with Parkinson's disease are treated with levodopa, which is converted into dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain. In a study published on 18 January in the journal Nature Communications, scientists from the University of Groningen show that gut bacteria can metabolize levodopa into dopamine.

18 Jan 2019

A new frontier in research to better understand gut microbiome and digestive health

Research on the gut microbiome is one of the most promising areas of science today. In a new special issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the American Gastroenterological Association has taken the deep-dive into the gut microbiome that both scientists and the public are looking for to help them better understand the effects of the microbiome on health and disease.

7 Jan 2019

New bacterial species may help fight obesity and metabolic disorders

The MyNewGut project has discovered new bacterial species and strains in healthy people that seem to be effective against obesity, metabolic and mental disorders related to stress and obesity (e.g. depression).

17 Dec 2018