New Study: Bacteria in a baby’s gut may play a key role in early brain development
A new pilot study by Canadian researchers offers some fascinating clues on possible connections between the infant gut microbiome and early-life brain development.
Are the bacteria in a baby’s gut somehow connected to a baby’s brain? In other words, is there a gut-brain connection in babies?
A new study by Canadian researchers finds that bacteria in a baby’s gut may play a key role in early brain development, and could even be connected to a baby’s cognitive abilities.
The scientists found that levels of certain types of microorganisms in a baby’s gut were associated with a baby’s performance in cognitive tests.
This was a small pilot study and so these results need to be treated with caution. But this is another piece of a complex puzzle potentially connecting the infant gut microbiome and early brain development.
According to Dr. Brett Finlay, a professor at University of British Columbia and one of the authors of the new study:
“Although this is an early exploratory study, it does provide hints that there are links between the gut and brain development in early life”
The study by Hunter S. et al., was published in PLOS ONE on 9th August 2023
