Voices from within: gut microbes and the CNS
Open accessAbstract
Recent advances in research have greatly increased our understanding of the importance of the gut microbiota. Bacterial colonization of the intestine is critical to the normal development of many aspects of physiology such as the immune and endocrine systems. It is emerging that the influence of the gut microbiota also extends to modulation of host neural development. Furthermore, the overall balance in composition of the microbiota, together with the influence of pivotal species that induce specific responses, can modulate adult neural function, peripherally and centrally. Effects of commensal gut bacteria in adult animals include protection from the central effects of infection and inflammation as well as modulation of normal behavioral responses. There is now robust evidence that gut bacteria influence the enteric nervous system, an effect that may contribute to afferent signaling to the brain. The vagus nerve has also emerged as an important means of communicating signals from gut bacteria to the CNS. Further understanding of the mechanisms underlying microbiome-gut-brain communication will provide us with new insight into the symbiotic relationship between gut microbiota and their mammalian hosts and help us identify the potential for microbial-based therapeutic strategies to aid in the treatment of mood disorders.
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The spectrum of functions performed by nervous systems is broader than communication and information exchange between the central nervous system, the rest of the body and the environment.
“However, the spectrum of functions performed by nervous systems is much broader.”
From Back to the Basics: Cnidarians Start to Fire (2017) · cites this paper as [119]
Non-canonical functions of nervous systems may include roles in regeneration, development of innervated tissues, tissue homeostasis, and bidirectional communication with the commensal microbiota.
“Non-canonical functions may include a role in regeneration, development of innervated tissues, and tissue homeostasis [113,114] as well as bidirectional communication with the commensal microbiota [115–120].”
From Back to the Basics: Cnidarians Start to Fire (2017) · cites this paper as [119]
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- Authors
- Forsythe, P., & Kunze, W. A.
- Affiliations
- McMaster University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Forsythe, Paul
- Venue
- Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
- Published
- 2012-05-27
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 55-69
- ISSN
- 1420-682X (ISSN-L)
- 1420-9071
- PMC
- PMC11113561
- OpenAlex
- W2026926998
- Cited by
- 336
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 34 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 2.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Keywords
- gut microbiota, microbiome-gut-brain axis, enteric nervous system, vagus nerve, neural development, commensal bacteria, neuroinflammation, behavioral modulation, mood disorders, host-microbe symbiosis
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain, Central Nervous System, Germ-Free Life, Humans, Inflammation, Intestines, Models, Biological, Neuropeptides, Stress, Physiological, Vagus Nerve, Signal Transduction, Enteric Nervous System, Mice, Metagenome
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