Intestinal bacteria decide for the brain what to eat

Carlos Vidal Ribeiro

Fundação Champalimaud, Portugal

The intestinal microbiota has a great impact on many functions of the human body. Some indications even suggest that an imbalance in the intestinal bacteria could affect brain functioning and contribute to psychiatric disorders such as autism or depression.

Recently scientists have observed that flies need to ingest proteins if their diet does not contain an essential amino acid. Behind this desire for proteins are two specific species of intestinal bacteria, which exert pressure to change food preferences.

This project looks more deeply into the molecular mechanisms underlying this impulse. The goal is to understand the interaction of intestinal bacteria with the intake of nutrients, since it is a determining factor in health and disease, including obesity.

Identifying and testing the metabolites generated by two psychoactive gut bacteria to alter brain function and behavior

€463,694