It may be surprising to learn that the human gastrointestinal tract is home to 1014 bacterial
organisms. 1 In fact, there are more bacteria in the gut than there are somatic cells in the body…

Within the first few days of life, humans are colonized by commensal intestinal microbiota.
Here, we review recent findings showing that microbiota are important in normal healthy brain …

The acquisition of intestinal microbiota in the immediate postnatal period has a defining
impact on the development and function of many immune and metabolic systems integral to …

There is a growing recognition of the importance of the commensal intestinal microbiota in
the development and later function of the central nervous system. Research using germ-free …

Mounting evidence supports the influence of the gut microbiome on the local enteric
nervous system and its effects on brain chemistry and relevant behavior. Vagal afferents are …

Human adolescence is a time of enormous developmental change, second only to infancy
and early childhood in terms of brain shaping and growth. It is also a period in life when the …

The vagus nerve can transmit signals to the brain resulting in a reduction in depressive
behavior as evidenced by the long-term beneficial effects of electrical stimulation of the vagus in …

Early life is a period of significant brain development when the brain is at its most plastic and
vulnerable. Stressful episodes during this window of development have long-lasting effects …

The vagus nerve is one of the major signalling components between the gut microbiota and
brain. However, the exact relationship between gut-brain signaling along the vagus and the …

The use of antibiotics has recently risen to prominence in neuroscience due to their potential
value in studying the microbiota-gut-brain axis. In this context they have been largely …