The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Brain Function
Julia König, John-Peter Ganda Mall, Ignacio Rangel, Hanna Edebol and Robert-Jan Brummer
from: Probiotics and Prebiotics: Current Research and Future Trends (Edited by: Koen Venema and Ana Paula do Carmo). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2015) Pages: 381-390.
Abstract
The intestinal microbiota forms a complex ecosystem that has an important impact on our health, and an increasing number of disorders are associated with disturbances in this ecosystem. There is growing evidence that even brain function can be affected by an aberrant gut microbiota and that the bidirectional signalling along the microbe-gut-brain axis plays a significant role in the well-being of the gut as well as the brain. In this chapter, mechanistic pathways explaining how the gut microbiota can affect brain function are described. In addition, its role is elucidated in relation to disorders such as anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, and possible beneficial action of prebiotics and probiotics is discussed read more ...