Why is a healthy intestine necessary for the functioning of the nervous system?
Microorganisms occupy all spaces on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes of open cavities in the human body. A particularly significant function is performed by the microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
Colonization of a child's intestines by bacteria begins in the womb during childbirth (during a caesarean section, the newborn does not receive elements of the mother's microbiota, since it does not pass through the birth canal).
The functions of epigenetics, neuroendocrine system, immune system, metabolism and signaling mechanisms of the microbiota, similar to those in an adult, begin to form in a child by two to three years and reach their full development by 12-14 years.
Intestinal health is an exceptional factor for the existence of the microbiota and the implementation of its functions, for example: protection from colonization by pathogenic microorganisms, neutralization of harmful chemical compounds, digestion of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and other nutrients, participation in the metabolism of bile acids, providing the body with host energy, regulation of peristalsis, gas composition, temperature, pH levels, participation in the development of the host’s immune system, the production of neurotransmitters and their precursors that directly penetrate the brain or act at the level of the peripheral nervous system, which then affects the brain.
To maintain and restore the microbial environment in the human body under various pathological conditions, a wide range of microecological agents is used, such as probiotics, symbiotics, combiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, virobiotics, including phagobiotics, as well as genetically engineered probiotics and metabiotics.
As defined by the World Health Organization, probiotics are “live microorganisms that, when administered in sufficient quantities, contribute to the health of the host.”
By releasing various low-molecular-weight signaling substances and at the same time specifically responding to “host” signals, microorganisms constantly interact with the nervous system and immune system of the host organism. To normalize the interaction along the “brain-gut-microbiota” axis, probiotics are used, which are called “psychobiotics”.
Psychobiotics are a special class of probiotics that have beneficial effects on human mental health. Psychobiotics improve mood and increase cognitive abilities.
Observations in recent years of the effects of psychobiotics on the human body have shown significant potential for their use not only for gastrointestinal diseases, as previously thought, but also for the treatment of a wide range of mental and neurological disorders, for example: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders ( ASD), anxiety and depressive disorders, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease.
Many microorganisms are being considered as potential psychotropic probiotics, including various strains of the lactobacilli family.
Lactobacilli have the ability to convert nitrates into nitric oxide (NO), which plays a key role in the regulation of various processes at the level of the immune and nervous systems. In addition, lactobacilli increase the activity of the enzyme indole-amine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which promotes the metabolism of tryptophan (TRP) and the formation of neuroactive compounds such as kynuric and quinolinic acids.
Psychobiotic microorganisms are capable of synthesizing neurotransmitters and/or their precursors. To date, several mechanisms of action of psychobiotics on the brain have been well studied:
1. The ability of intestinal bacteria to produce biologically active compounds with neuroactive functions - neurotransmitter molecules (gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, catecholamine, acetylcholine, oxytocin). When these neurotransmitters are secreted in the gut, they can induce cells within the gut lining to release molecules that transmit signals to the brain and influence behavior.
2. Impact on the body's stress response system, which includes the brain and adrenal glands. This system, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, becomes dysfunctional in the context of chronic stress or illness. When HPA axis dysfunction occurs, the production and rhythmic timing of cortisol and other stress-related hormones are disrupted. It is thought to play a central role in mood disorders and cognitive problems.
3. Anti-inflammatory effect of psychobiotics. Chronically elevated levels of inflammation are now known to be one of the major underlying causes of depression and other mood and cognitive disorders. This inflammation can occur in the gut, and some psychobiotics may have their effect on the brain by reducing inflammation in the intestine.
1. The ability of intestinal bacteria to produce biologically active compounds with neuroactive functions - neurotransmitter molecules (gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, catecholamine, acetylcholine, oxytocin). When these neurotransmitters are secreted in the gut, they can induce cells within the gut lining to release molecules that transmit signals to the brain and influence behavior.
2. Impact on the body's stress response system, which includes the brain and adrenal glands. This system, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, becomes dysfunctional in the context of chronic stress or illness. When HPA axis dysfunction occurs, the production and rhythmic timing of cortisol and other stress-related hormones are disrupted. It is thought to play a central role in mood disorders and cognitive problems.
3. Anti-inflammatory effect of psychobiotics. Chronically elevated levels of inflammation are now known to be one of the major underlying causes of depression and other mood and cognitive disorders. This inflammation can occur in the gut, and some psychobiotics may have their effect on the brain by reducing inflammation in the intestine.
FOOD SUPPLEMENT
NOT A MEDICINE
