Probiotics Boost Brain Health

LUBBOCK, TexasNew research conducted at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center reveals neurochemicals delivered directly to the gut via probiotic intestinal microbiota benefit brain health as well as digestive health.

The research paper, published in the journal BioEssays, proposes a new field of microbial endocrinology where microbiology meets neuroscience. Lead researcher Professor Mark Lyte proposes a unifying process of microbial endocrinology, which would mean that neurochemical-producing probiotics could act as a delivery mechanism for neuroactive compounds.

Lyte said probiotics play a role in producing, absorbing, and transporting neurochemicals, such as serotonin, dopamine and nerve growth factor, which are essential for healthy brain and nerve function. Therefore, improving probiotic microflora in the intestines may be an important key to treating mental health conditions.

There is already evidence to suggest that the connection between gut microbes and the nervous system represents a viable route for influencing neurological function. A recent study in mice, for example, showed that the presence of neurochemicals such a serotonin in the bloodstream was due to direct uptake from the gut," he said.

In a commentary piece in the same issue Dr. Gregor Reid from the University of Western Ontario, outlines some of the potential clinical implications of this research.

The research presents an idea for selecting probiotic strains with neurological applications and linking this with immune-modulatory effects, while highlighting the fact that microbial strains already being widely ingested in fermented food can produce neurochemicals," he said. Could this mean that adjunct treatment for people suffering from certain types of mental health problems is a fecal transplant? Food for thought."