I decided to
abandon my previous endeavour and instead chose to write about a new topic that
both interests me and is more related to my field of study; psychology. From
the motherhood of cows to the microbiology of the human gut; I will now be
exploring how evolutionary biology plays a role in a much different realm of
functioning and survival.
Many of us know that the human body serves as a great host for a variety of microorganisms; some good and some less desirable. Generally these microorganisms that inhabit our bodies are only brought to our attention with the onset of a common cold (viral infection) or perhaps even strep throat (bacterial infection). New research suggests that microorganisms, specifically those living in our gut, deserve more consideration. In fact, the microorganisms brewing in your gut may have more influence in your body than you think.
Many of us know that the human body serves as a great host for a variety of microorganisms; some good and some less desirable. Generally these microorganisms that inhabit our bodies are only brought to our attention with the onset of a common cold (viral infection) or perhaps even strep throat (bacterial infection). New research suggests that microorganisms, specifically those living in our gut, deserve more consideration. In fact, the microorganisms brewing in your gut may have more influence in your body than you think.
Recent research
has revealed that microorganisms inhabiting our gut may play a vital role in the
regulation of a variety of psychological processes such as mood, pain,
cognition, and may even be related to obesity. This opens the door for new therapeutic
possibilities from those suffering from stress-related central nervous system
disorders, an arena where the need for new medical innovations is high (RD et
al. 2014). One might wonder how gut flora play a role in the central nervous
system; how could organisms in the intestines effect our brain and spinal cord?
Simply put, microbiota play a major role in the maturation of crucial systems
that then, in turn, effect the central nervous system. More specifically,
microorganisms of the intestine impact the development of the immune and
endocrine system, which ultimately effect the signalling and programming of the
central nervous system (RD et al. 2014). But wait, there’s more! Other studies
have even suggested a relationship exists between gut flora and the rate of
aging (Heintz et al. 2014).
Let’s recap; gut
microbiota can influence the regulation of mood, pain, cognitive processes,
weight gain, and even the rate of aging. These gut flora certainly do play an
important role in the human body! I will further elaborate on these concepts in
later blogs as I continue my journey in exploring the power of microorganisms.
References:
Heintz, C. & Mair, W. 2014. You
are what you host: microbiome modulation of the aging process. Cell 156: 408-411.
Moloney, R. D., Desbonnet, L.,
Clarke, G., Dinan, T. G. & Cryan, J. F. 2014. The microbiome: stress,
health and disease. Mammalian Genome
25: 49-74.
Nice introduction. The microbiome is a fascinating place and I’m looking forward to reading how these organisms influence “us” on a variety of levels!
ReplyDelete