Bacteria in the gut play essential roles in the metabolism of dietary nutrients. But a recent explosion of research has revealed influences of microbes in the gut on brain function in health and in anxiety disorders, depression, and possibly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Professor John Cryan at University College in Cork Ireland is at the forefront of this research. In this episode I talk with John about how diet and lifestyle affect the gut microbiome and the mechanisms by which these microbes can affect brain health. Those mechanisms include roles for the vagus nerve and chemicals produced by gut bacteria that travel through the blood and into the brain. We also discuss translational research aimed at optimizing the gut bacterial composition in ways that promote lifelong brain health or for the treatment of neurological disorders.

LINKS:

Professor Cryan’s webpage: https://www.ucc.ie/en/apc/people/johncryan/

Book ‘The Psychobiotic Revolution’: https://www.amazon.com/Psychobiotic-Revolution-Science-Gut-Brain-Connection/dp/142621846X

Review articles:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959438822001465?via%3Dihub

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8321864/pdf/nmaa181.pdf

https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S1550-4131%2820%2930067-X