It's been known for a while that quite a large proportion - about 95%! - of the neurotransmitter serotonin is made in the human gut, rather than in the brain. In fact, it has even been argued that the intestinal tract constitutes a "second brain" - and that our emotional wellbeing may be intricately tied to the sensations that arise in the gut.
Recent research has expanded this work, with results indicating that mice who have a healthy probiotic balance of gut microbes react more efficiently to stress - that is, they were braver and less paralyzed by fear when faced with experimental situations designed to test their mettle. Mice fed probiotic feed were more likely to spend longer in parts of a maze that didn't have a roof (mice don't like to be exposed from above - predators come from there!) and they reacted much more calmly to being put in bowls of water where they were required to swim around a bit and find a hidden platform to stand on.
Are probiotics a good idea for both mice and men? Anything that makes my tummy feel good is alright by me.
Read more here: From guts to brains – eating probiotic bacteria changes behaviour in mice via discovermagazine.com
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