Gut Microbiome-Brain Communications Regulate Host Physiology and Behavior

Abstract

The human gut microbiota contains more than 100 trillion bacteria that, under normal physiological conditions, have beneficial symbiotic interactions with the host. However, a growing body of evidence has shown that alternations in the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota, or dysbiosis, can influence the development and progress of metabolic and neurological disorders. Communication between the microbiota and the brain is a bidirectional system involving endocrine, metabolic (bacterial components and metabolites), immune, and neural pathways. Gut microbiota composition influences the signals transmitted from the gut to the brain. Alternatively, the brain utilizes similar mechanisms, in particular endocrine and neural signaling, to modulate the composition of the gut bacteria. In this review, we describe the recent evidence of gut microbiota interaction with the central nervous system to influence physiological and cognitive functions and the therapeutic potential of modulation of the gut microbiota composition.