Minding Our Microbial Symbionts

Mammals have coevolved with a vast, diverse community of symbiotic microorganisms that profoundly influence host biology, including brain function and behavior. While many findings now support the existence of a microbiome-gut-brain axis, exactly how gut microbes interact with the nervous system to influence a variety of complex behaviors remains poorly understood.

In this talk, Elaine Hsiao will discuss recent discoveries that reveal biological pathways for communication between the gut microbiota and the brain.