More and more studies are finding a link between gut bacteria and mental health, but which inhabitants of our gut are for our liking and which have evil intentions? And if we know that, can we solve brain problems such as depression and Parkinson’s through the lower abdomen?
In the early 2000s, Japanese researchers conducted a stress test on so-called germ-free mice, which were born and raised in a sterile environment. Their bodies are completely free of microorganisms, like a blank slate on which researchers can investigate the effect of body bacteria. The germ-free critters had much higher stress levels than regular mice, the Japanese team concluded.
They then managed to reduce that stress with Bifidobacterium infantis, a good type of bacteria that is also found in breast milk. It was one of the first studies to show a link between gut bacteria and the brain.
Mental health problems
That there was a link between our gut and the brain was not a new idea. It’s not for nothing that we talk about butterflies in the stomach when in love or tension, or about gut feelings. In English the latter is literally ‘gut feeling’. Researchers had also noted that people with mental health problems such as depression or anxiety disorders were more likely than average to suffer from a blocked gut or diarrhea.
But only since the 1990s have gut bacteria and their role in communication with the brain been under scrutiny. If we understand that, hopefully we will also know which species to nurture and which are in our way. But that’s easier said than sorted out.
This is the beginning of an article in KIJK 8/2022. This edition will be in stores from July 21 to August.
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Text: Anouk Broersma
Beeld: SPL RF/Getty Images