Impact of microbiota on central nervous system and neurological diseases: the gut-brain axis

Qianquan Ma,Qing Liu,Changsheng Xing,Wenyong Long,Rong-Fu Wang,Helen Y Wang

doi:10.1186/s12974-019-1434-3

Abstract

Development of central nervous system (CNS) is regulated by both intrinsic and peripheral signals. Previous studies have suggested that environmental factors affect neurological activities under both physiological and pathological conditions. Although there is anatomical separation, emerging evidence has indicated the existence of bidirectional interaction between gut microbiota, i.e., (diverse microorganisms colonizing human intestine), and brain. The cross-talk between gut microbiota and brain may have crucial impact during basic neurogenerative processes, in neurodegenerative disorders and tumors of CNS. In this review, we discuss the biological interplay between gut-brain axis, and further explore how this communication may be dysregulated in neurological diseases. Further, we highlight new insights in modification of gut microbiota composition, which may emerge as a promising therapeutic approach to treat CNS disorders.

Highlights

Abundant and diverse microbial communities coexist in humans and mice
Elevated deposition of Aβ results in the release of various proinflammatory mediators through microglia, including iNOS, ROS, COX2, and NF-κB, thereby causing neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis [187]. These results indicate that specific species of gut microbiota activate Aβ signaling pathways and contribute to the pathogenesis of AD
Due to complicated etiologies and lack of reliable biomarkers in humans, effective treatment strategies for central nervous system (CNS) diseases have been of great interest

Summary

Introduction

Abundant and diverse microbial communities coexist in humans and mice. Majority of these microorganisms including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses reside in human gastrointestinal tract, and are collectively referred as gut “microbiota” [1]. These studies indicate that gut microbiota modulate inflammatory response via inflammasome signaling to affect anxiety- and depressive-induced behaviors.

Results

Conclusion