Microbiome, mood, and behavior

The mind, as we know, can influence the functioning of the digestive system. From the feeling of “butterflies in the stomach” to the intestinal manifestations of states of stress, emotions can trigger the most diverse gastrointestinal symptoms. But this association is two-way, and what happens in the gut can also affect mood and behavior.

The condition of the population of microbes living in the intestine (the microbiota) is reflected in the brain with moods, changes in behavior and responsiveness to stress.

Studying the intestinal bacterial flora with a microbiome analysis can unmask and help correct any alterations to promote not only physical but also psychological well-being.

The gut-brain axis

The complex network of relationships that connects the intestine to the brain is called the “gut-brain axis“. The numerous nerve endings in which the intestine is rich come into play and for this characteristic it is often also called the “second brain“.

The nerve fibers associated with the gut make up one of the components of this network, the enteric nervous system. The others are:

the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
the autonomic nervous system
the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (the circuit that coordinates the stress response systems)

The brain influences intestinal activity both through mechanisms depending on nerve cells and through hormonal mechanisms. On the one hand, the microbiota is another target of these mechanisms, while on the other hand it acts on the same intestinal cells influenced by brain activity. This way it contributes to the bidirectional interaction between the gut and the brain.

Microbiota and the brain

The mechanisms by which the microbiota sends signals to the brain involve neurotransmitters, hormones, and the immune system:

- In the intestine, it interacts with intestinal cells and with the enteric nervous system.

It interacts directly with the central nervous system through nervous, hormonal, and metabolic pathways.
It generates immune signals directed to the brain.

Alterations of the intestinal bacterial flora (dysbiosis) modify the inflammatory responses promoting a state of chronic inflammation. The latter may in turn be associated with mood and behavioral changes, increased responsiveness to stress and a higher incidence of associated disorders.

The microbiome analysis

With the microbiome analysis (the microbiota genome) it is possible to detect dysbiosis that could affect not only the state of physical health but also psychological health.

MICROBALANCE by the Bioscience Institute allows you to conduct the necessary sampling in a simple way, comfortably at home, using the kit that is sent to your address.

Request MICROBALANCE

Thanks to MICROBALANCE you can know the profile of your intestinal microbiota and plan corrective interventions based on nutrition (and possibly on the intake of food supplements) to optimize it and thus improve your physical and psychological well-being.

To obtain more information and request the kit for the collection, contact us by emailing info@bioinst.com or fill out the following request form to be contacted without obligation by one of our trusted biologists.

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Microbiome, mood, and behavior