「樓下的房客」--腸內菌影響認知與行為

很難想像我們腸道裡有億萬個看不見的房客，他們累積起來將近3鎊，相當於1~2顆腦的重量！這些菌叢與人體持續互動著，影響我們的飽足、情緒、免疫。

科學家將小白鼠完全除菌(germ free)，之後再重新植入腸道菌株來觀察它們的反應，發現植入乳酸桿菌(Lactobacillous rhamnosus)的小白鼠有較少的憂鬱表現；而醫師們彼此教導要開上抗厭氧菌抗生素Metronidazole來趕盡殺絕的擬桿菌(Bacteroides fragilis)，竟然能改善小鼠的自閉症與多發性硬化症？

抗生素療法(Antibiotic-based therapy)是否在未來會轉型為合併療法，或以功能性益生菌為骨幹的療法(Microbiome-based therapy)，而被廣泛應用在各種文明病甚至感染症上？除了拭目以待，想想平常我們都拿什麼東西餵食這些「樓下的房客」？

Cited from TEDx Talks:

Elaine Hsiao is a postdoctoral fellow in chemistry and biology at Caltech. She received her undergraduate degree in microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics from UCLA and her doctoral degree in neurobiology from Caltech with Professor Paul Patterson.

She studied neuroimmune mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders and uncovered a role for the commensal microbiota in regulating autism-related behaviors, metabolism, and intestinal physiology. Elaine has received several honors, including predoctoral fellowships from the National Institute of Health, Autism Speaks and the Caltech Innovation Program.

She is currently studying the mechanisms by which microbes modulate host production of neuroactive molecules and aims to better understand how the human microbiota influences health and disease.