Cited by 813Gut microbiota and healthGastrointestinal motility and disordersTryptophan and brain disorders

Gut instincts: microbiota as a key regulator of brain development, ageing and neurodegeneration

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Dinan, Timothy G., Cryan, John F.·2017·The Journal of Physiology

Abstract

There is a growing realisation that the gut-brain axis and its regulation by the microbiota may play a key role in the biological and physiological basis of neurodevelopmental, age-related and neurodegenerative disorders. The routes of communication between the microbiota and brain are being unravelled and include the vagus nerve, gut hormone signalling, the immune system, tryptophan metabolism or by way of microbial metabolites such as short chain fatty acids. The importance of early life gut microbiota in shaping future health outcomes is also emerging. Disturbances of this composition by way of antibiotic exposure, lack of breastfeeding, infection, stress and the environmental influences coupled with the influence of host genetics can result in long-term effects on physiology and behaviour, at least in animal models. It is also worth noting that mode of delivery at birth influences microbiota composition with those born by Caesarean section having a distinctly different microbiota in early life to those born per vaginum. At the other extreme of life, ageing is associated with a narrowing in microbial diversity and healthy ageing correlates with a diverse microbiome. Recently, the gut microbiota has been implicated in a variety of conditions including depression, autism, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. There is still considerable debate as to whether or not the gut microbiota changes are core to the pathophysiology of such conditions or are merely epiphenomenal. It is plausible that such neuropsychiatric disorders might be treated in the future by targeting the microbiota either by microbiota transplantation, antibiotics or psychobiotics.

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  • Short-chain fatty acids that cross into the central nervous system have neuroactive properties.

    “Accumulating evidence suggests that SCFAs that cross into the CNS have neuroactive properties.”

    From The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication (2020) · cites this paper as [100]

    The Introduction says SCFAs may exert central effects directly or indirectly, supporting the claim that they can be neuroactive. It does not establish that SCFAs cross into the CNS; its discussion of the blood–brain barrier concerns SCFAs’ role in barrier integrity, not their passage across it. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The GM influences the stress system, behavior, and cognition in animals.

    “Studies in animals have demonstrated the effect that the GM has on neural development and neurochemistry in the host, influencing the stress system, behavior, and cognition (42–47).”
  • The HPA axis plays a central role in mediating the stress response and regulating the interaction between the GM, gut, and brain.

    “The HPA axis plays a central role in mediating the stress response and regulating the interaction between the GM, gut, and brain (42).”
  • Altered SCFA production is demonstrated in a variety of neuropathologies.

    “Altered SCFA production has also been demonstrated in a variety of neuropathologies (42, 116, 127, 130, 132, 292–295).”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Borre YE, O’Keeffe GW, Clarke G, Stanton C, Dinan TG, Cryan JF (2014). Treds Mol Med 20, 509–518. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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Authors
Dinan, T. G., & Cryan, J. F.
Affiliations
University College Cork (IE)
Corresponding author
Cryan, John F.
Venue
The Journal of Physiology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2016-12-04
Volume
595
Issue
2
Pages
489-503
ISSN
  • 0022-3751 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-7793
OpenAlex
W2523444109
Cited by
813
References
166
Citations by year
2026: 55 · 2025: 88 · 2024: 96 · 2023: 80 · 2022: 116 · 2021: 115 · 2020: 72 · 2019: 76 · 2018: 56 · 2017: 57 · 2016: 2
FWCI
5.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Journal of Physiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Science Foundation Ireland (SFI/12/RC/2273)
  • Health Research Board (HRA_POR/2011/23, HRA_POR/2012/32)
  • Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013)
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, gut-brain axis, brain development, brain aging, neurodegeneration, vagus nerve, immune system, tryptophan metabolism, short-chain fatty acids, early-life microbiota, mode of delivery, cesarean section, microbial diversity, depression, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, microbiota transplantation, psychobiotics, antibiotics
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Aging, Animals, Mental Disorders, Brain, Humans, Neurodegenerative Diseases

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