Bacteria in Gut Influence Brains of Mice, Soothed by Probiotic Broth
Curious Mouse Lab mice who were fed a broth of Lactobacillus exhibited lower stress, including increased willingness to explore elevated walkways and open areas. Wikimedia Commons Anyone who has ever had a stomach bug knows it can really subdue your spirits as well as your appetite. But other parts of the gut microbiome can have the opposite effect, and make you feel great. Irish researchers have found a type of gut bacteria that seems to have directly interacted with the brains of mice, reducing stress and depression. Scientists fed mice a broth containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus, a strain of Lactobacillus species that is found in mouse gastrointestinal systems, and watched the mice's behavior. They appeared less stressed and depressed than mice who got a plain broth, the researchers reported. When they were placed in water to deliberately stress them out, the L. rhamnosus-fed mice also had lower levels of stress hormones. John Cryan,...