Research (in mice): Strain of E.coli in the gut of female mice may cause a mother to ‘neglect’ her offspring

Quick Summary: Researchers found that the E.coli strain interfered with maternal behaviour, contributing to a kind of ‘neglectful’ behaviour. This led to the malnourishment of the baby mice, leading to stunted growth.

This is interesting not just because of what it suggests about the gut-brain axis, but also what it might suggest about how the gut microbiome can influence the behaviour of new mothers.

A recent study has identified a specific strain of E. coli bacteria that when found in the gut of female mice, can alter a mother’s behaviour — leading to the mother ‘neglecting’ her offspring.

Lee Y.M. et. al. (2021) identified a strain of Escherichia coli in the gut of female mice. This strain was pathogenic in the early postnatal stage, resulting in the stunted growth of the baby mice.

Researchers found that the E.coli strain interfered with maternal behaviour, contributing to a kind of ‘neglectful’ behaviour. This led to the malnourishment of the baby mice, leading to stunted growth.

To quote from the abstract:

“However, rather than having a direct pathogenic effect on the infant, we found that this particular E. coli strain was…