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Thursday 11 January 2018
Psychobiotics: the state of play
Within clinical PNI, we have known for a long time that our brain and intestines ‘talk’ to one another. This communication can be positively influenced by psychobiotics. Scientists at Oxford University (UK) explain what this is and provide an overview of the current state of play. Gut bacteria influence our mood, determine our appetite and control our circadian rhythm. Probiotic bacteria have a beneficial effect, whilst the absence of these bacteria...
Wednesday 22 November 2017
Lessons on the gut flora of the Hadza
If we want to know how we used to live, we should look at the Hadza of Tanzania. They can also teach us a lot about gut flora, but we do have to be fast as the first Hadza people have been spotted using a mobile telephone. The Hadza – a traditional tribe in Tanzania – are an important source of information about how our ancestors lived. However, nowadays only 200 Hadza people live like their (not so ancient) ancestors. The remainder of the tribe, around 800...
Saturday 11 November 2017
Relationship between depression and elevated CRP levels
When the inflammatory marker CRP is elevated, we particularly think about low-grade inflammation and diseases of affluence such as obesity. But an elevated CRP value has also been found to be related to a higher risk of psychological symptoms and depression. Elevated levels of the inflammatory marker CRP (C-reactive protein) are a characteristic of low-grade inflammation. This process plays an important role in many diseases of affluence, including cardiovascular disease,...
Thursday 19 October 2017
The epigenetics of addiction
Why do people slip back into unhealthy habits so often? Why is there such a high risk of relapse after abstaining from an addictive substance? A study published in Neuron reveals that the nucleus accumbens, epigenetics and the environment play a crucial role. An addiction is an irresistible desire to search for rewarding or calming stimuli, irrespective of the negative consequences that these can have. Through repeated contact with the desired stimuli, the sensitivity to...