微生物研究有助神经变性疾病疗法开发

数万亿的微生物栖息在人类的机体中，这些微生物群体被称之为微生物组，据估计这些微生物群体重2-6磅，其总体重是平均大脑体重的2倍，大部分的微生物生活在机体肠道中，其可以帮助机体消化食物，合成维生素以及抵御感染；但截止到现在研究者对微生物组的研究显示，微生物群体对机体的影响远远超过了肠道，其还会对人类大脑产生影响。

在过去10年里，有研究就表明肠道微生物组合一系列复杂的行为直接相关，比如情绪、情感、食欲等，然而肠道微生物组不仅可以可以帮助维持大脑的功能，而且可以影响个体患神经性障碍及心理障碍的风险，比如焦虑症、抑郁及自闭症等。研究者Christopher Lowry教授表示，当前最大的问题就是微生物组如何对机体大脑施加效应，而williamhill asia 的研究可以揭示是否有益的微生物组可以被用来治疗或抑制压力相关的心理疾病，比如焦虑症和抑郁症等。

研究者表示，小鼠机体中的微生物组对压力比较敏感，而且压力诱导的小鼠母亲机体的微生物组的改变可以遗传给幼鼠，并且改变幼鼠的大脑发育。因此如果母亲机体的微生物生态系统因为感染、压力或饮食而发生改变的话，其新生儿肠道的微生物组就会发生改变而且会对后代医生有影响。

文章中，研究者发现，肠道微生物组可以通过肠道细菌产生的一种分子来实现同大脑的交流，这种代谢产物分子可以改变小鼠的行为。而这种肠道细菌产生的代谢物足以引发个体和自闭症及焦虑症相关的行为异常；目前研究人员希望通过深入研究来揭示是否微生物组在神经变性疾病中扮演着重要作用，比如阿尔兹海默氏症或帕金森疾病等。研究者同时也希望，本文研究结果或可帮助其理解肠道微生物和大脑之间的关系，为后期开发治疗神经变性疾病的新型疗法提供帮助和希望。

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Over the past 10 years, studies have linked the gut microbiome to a range of complex behaviors, such as mood and emotion, and appetite and satiety. Not only does the gut microbiome appear to help maintain brain function but it may also influence the risk of psychiatric and neurological disorders, including anxiety, depression and autism.

Three researchers at the forefront of this emerging field recently discussed the microbiome-brain connection with The Kavli Foundation.

"The big question right now is how the microbiome exerts its effects on the brain," said Christopher Lowry, Associate Professor of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Lowry is studying whether beneficial microbes can be used to treat or prevent stress-related psychiatric conditions, including anxiety and depression.

One surprising way in which the microbiome influences the brain is during development. Tracy Bale, Professor of Neuroscience at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and her team have found that the microbiome in mice is sensitive to stress and that stress-induced changes to a mother's microbiome are passed on to her baby and alter the way her baby's brain develops.

"There are key developmental windows when the brain is more vulnerable because it's setting itself up to respond to the world around it," said Bale, who has done pioneering research into the effects of maternal stress on the brain. "So, if mom's microbial ecosystem changes -- due to infection, stress or diet, for example -- her newborn's gut microbiome will change too, and that can have a lifetime effect.".....