Microbes and the mind: emerging hallmarks of the gut microbiota-brain axis
Open accessAbstract
The concept of a gut microbiota-brain axis has emerged to describe the complex and continuous signalling between the gut microbiota and host nervous system. This review examines key microbial-derived neuromodulators and structural components that comprise the gut microbiota-brain axis. To conclude, we briefly identify current challenges in gut microbiota-brain research and suggest a framework to characterize these interactions. Here, we propose five emerging hallmarks of the gut microbiota-brain axis: (i) Indistinguishability, (ii) Emergence, (iii) Bidirectional Signalling, (iv) Critical Window Fluidity and (5) Neural Homeostasis.
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The gut microbiome and the brain are strongly linked, influencing brain growth and development.
“The gut microbiome and the brain are strongly linked, influencing brain growth and development [9,10].”
From Effect of Supplementation with Probiotics in Patients with Schizophrenia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials (2025) · cites this paper as [10]
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- Authors
- Bauer, K. C., Huus, K. E., & Finlay, B. B.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Finlay, B. Brett
- Venue
- Cellular Microbiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-03-31
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 632-644
- ISSN
- 1462-5814 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2274974675
- Cited by
- 151
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 5
- FWCI
- 1.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Cellular Microbiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research
- R. Howard Webster Foundation
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- 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-brain axis, gut microbiota, neuromodulators, microbial metabolites, neuronal homeostasis, critical window, indistinguishability, emergence, nervous system, host-microbe interactions
- MeSH terms
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Brain, Humans, Nervous System, Signal Transduction, Gastrointestinal Tract
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