Can our gut affect inflammation in our brain?

A few weeks ago, we wrote about the discovery of gut bacteria linked to chronic fatigue. A new study has just been published in which researchers identified a receptor in our gut lining that can "reprogram the gut microbiome to promote harmful, chronic inflammation."

The study was conducted by the University of Virginia Health in an attempt to find treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that affects the brain (specifically, the myelin that covers the nerves in the brain and spinal cord). Researchers examined an immune system regulator found in the barrier tissues of intestines called the "aryl hydrocarbon receptor."

When the receptor's activity was blocked in immune T cells, it led to dramatic changes in the microbiomes of lab mice. Moreover, it led to reduced inflammation in the mice's brains, and the mice recovered from autoimmune encephalomyelitis (the animal model for MS).

This study reaffirms the connection between our gut and immune system. The identification of the barrier regulator could lead to drugs that target the source of inflammation:

“Ultimately, fine-tuning the immune response using the microbiome could save patients from dealing with the harsh side effects of immunosuppressant drugs.”

— Andrea Merchak, researcher

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