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Final Paper Topic

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The gut brain axis has recently been studied and indicated within multiple neurologic and psychiatric disorders. While the biome has traditionally been thought to have its effects limited to the gut and digestive tracts, new research suggests a very different story. The bacterial colonies within our guts appear to play critical roles in neurological functioning, diseases such as Autism, depression, anxiety, and even Parkinson’s. For my opinion review, I am hoping to examine the different ways the biome affects the brain both on a granular mechanistic level, and within different diseases. Ultimately, I hope to pose an argument that this should be an area of focus for further research and potential treatment. Listed below are 5 research articles indicating an interesting relationship between the brain and gut: 


1.     Neufeld, K.M., Kang, N., Bienenstock, J. and Foster, J.A. (2011), Reduced anxiety‐like behavior and central neurochemical change in germ‐free mice. Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 23: 255-e119. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2982.2010.01620.x   

2.     Kelly, J. R., Borre, Y., O' Brien, C., Patterson, E., El Aidy, S., Deane, J., … Dinan, T. G. (2016, November). Transferring the blues: Depression-associated gut microbiota induces neurobehavioural changes in the rat. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27491067

3.     Sampson TR, Debelius JW, Thron T, et al. Gut Microbiota Regulate Motor Deficits and Neuroinflammation in a Model of Parkinson's Disease. Cell. 2016;167(6):1469–1480.e12. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2016.11.018

4.     Vuong HE, Hsiao EY. Emerging Roles for the Gut Microbiome in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2017;81(5):411–423. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.08.024

      5. Martin CR, Osadchiy V, Kalani A, Mayer EA. The Brain-Gut-Microbiome Axis. Cell Mol      Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;6(2):133

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