Studies in mice have also examined intestinal bacteria ...

Bacteria in our intestines can control our lives more than we ever realized. In recent data, published today in Nature

,

researchers reported link between gut bacteria and the development of multiple sclerosis in mice. Studies in mice have also examined intestinal bacteria in relation to obesity, depression and more. More research on humans appear hinting at the role of bacteria in our guts can play beyond to help us digest food. "What occurs in humans due to obesity, which seems to be the difference in number of species of bacteria in the gut," says Rob Knight from the University of Colorado, Boulder. "This figure is much lower in people who are obese than in healthy people."

The researchers also saw differences between bacteria of mice derived from obese compared with those with normal weight. In one experiment, researchers found that obese mice gut microbes extract more calories from this food plots than in non-obese mice. This led in obese mice to get more fat than not obese mice did. But even more surprising in type mice with other mutations that lead to obesity, the transfer of microbes from obese mice intestine in other mice resulted not obese mice eat more. "They are better at extracting energy from food. They're just hungry probably, "Knight said. "There are more microbial cells in the body than is the brain cells. They can be outvoting you when the time order (the restaurant). "

If the intestines microbes can tell the mouse brain to eat more, they could have other effects on the brain? Researchers believe so. "We are now beginning to see the direct impact of microbial community of the intestine in host behavior," Knight said. Experiments have shown that mice with intestinal microbes did not show differences in how they move and their anxiety as behavior than mice with normal flora. Mice treated with "probiotic" bacteria Lactobacillus showed different gene expression in the brain, reducing anxiety and behavior levels of the stress hormone, than untreated mice. The effect can be extended to diseases that are seemingly not related to the digestive system. The paper, published today, researchers studied mice bred to develop a disease similar to multiple sclerosis. Those raised in the environment of bacteria is never developed symptoms. After the typical intestinal bacteria were introduced, mice were manifest signs of disease. "I think our study really shows is the importance of gut microflora in early stage disease," said Gurumoorthy Krishnamurti from the Max Planck Institute and immunobiology epigenetics in Freiburg, Germany, who led the research with colleague Hartmut Wekerle. Of course, it is impossible for people to live germs free lifestyle, but the results show that microbial community may play a role in human multiple sclerosis. The team will look for specific bugs that may be responsible for the launch of symptoms. If a healthy intestinal microbial community proved important for different aspects of our health that we could do to encourage the bacteria that would prevent cheap strattera obesity or disease? One option would be to take probiotics are especially diet, or minimize the use of antibiotics, said Krishnamurti. But other studies the transmission of intestinal bacteria on the other end, through the "faecal transplant" from healthy people to those with the disease. "The potential is very large, but the actual number of studies is relatively low," Knight said. During trials in patients with Clostridium difficile infection - turning intestinal problems - more than 90 percent of patients were cured, and their microbial communities restored to normal. In previous work with huge implications for public health research last year showed improved insulin sensitivity in patients with metabolic syndrome who was chair of the poor translation. "Then the question: what other conditions are, which can also benefit from a stool transplant," Knight said. .