With a growing body of research, microbial medicine is entering the mental health conversation.
The brain is the most complex object in the known universe so how could it be reacting to bacteria in the gut?
-One route is the vagus nerve, it's an information superhighway connecting the brain and the gut.
-Bacteria break down fibre in the diet into chemicals called short-chain fatty acids, which can have effects throughout the body.
-The microbiome influences the immune system, which has also been implicated in brain disorders.
-There is even emerging evidence that gut bugs could be using tiny strips of genetic code called microRNAs to alter how DNA works in nerve cells.