Exploring the role of gut bacteria in the gut-brain axis. Chasing ghosts or an important determinant of brain function?

Summary

Recent studies suggest that the microbes in our gut might play an important role in how our brain functions, however, most of this research has been conducted in animals. The research described in this thesis aims to explore associations between the human gut microbiota with impulsivity and chronic stress. Impulsivity is an important personality trait linked with factors such as higher alcohol consumption, aggression, and unhealthy diet, whereas chronic stress is important for our overall quality of life. Finally, we studied the ability of the human gut bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila to produce the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in humans. Overall the present thesis provides novel insights into the relationship between gut
microbiota with impulsivity and chronic stress in humans and describes the mechanism by which A.muciniphila produces GABA.