Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Gut microbiota

Microbiota and neuroimmune signalling—Metchnikoff to microglia

Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology volume 12, pages 494–496 (2015)Cite this article

Subjects

The role of the gut microbiota in brain development and behaviour is emerging. New research demonstrates that maturation and activation of microglia are regulated by the gut microbiota, providing more evidence for the link between the microbiota and brain health.

Refers to Erny, D. et al. Host microbiota constantly control maturation and function of microglia in the CNS. Nat. Neurosci. 18, 965–977 (2015)

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Mechanisms for microbiota regulation of neuroimmune signalling.

References

  1. Mackowiak, P. A. Recycling metchnikoff: probiotics, the intestinal microbiome and the quest for long life. Front. Public Health 1, 52 (2013).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Erny, D. et al. Host microbiota constantly control maturation and function of microglia in the CNS. Nat. Neurosci. 18, 965–977 (2015).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Cryan, J. F. & Dinan, T. G. Mind-altering microorganisms: the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 13, 701–712 (2012).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Stilling, R. M., Dinan, T. G. & Cryan, J. F. Microbial genes, brain & behaviour—epigenetic regulation of the gut-brain axis. Genes Brain Behav. 13, 69–86 (2014).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Braniste, V. et al. The gut microbiota influences blood-brain barrier permeability in mice. Sci. Transl. Med. 6, 263ra158, (2014).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Ogbonnaya, E. S. et al. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is regulated by the microbiome. Biol. Psych. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.12.023.

  7. Louveau, A. et al. Structural and functional features of central nervous system lymphatic vessels. Nature 523, 337–341 (2015).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Delpech, J. C. et al. Microglia in neuronal plasticity: influence of stress. Neuropharmacology 96, 19–28 (2015).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Kettenmann, H., Kirchhoff, F. & Verkhratsky, A. Microglia: new roles for the synaptic stripper. Neuron 77, 10–18 (2013).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Borre, Y. E. et al. Microbiota and neurodevelopmental windows: implications for brain disorders. Trends Mol. Med. 20, 509–518 (2014).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of Dr R. Stilling, APC Microbiome Institute, Ireland, for his design of Figure 1 and helpful comments on the paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. APC Microbiome Institute & Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    John F. Cryan

  2. Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioural Science, Biosciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Timothy G. Dinan

Authors
  1. John F. Cryan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Timothy G. Dinan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John F. Cryan.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

T.G.D. and J.F.C. are principal investigators in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), University College Cork. The APC has conducted research funded by Cremo, GlaxoSmithKline, Mead Johnson, Pfizer, Proctor & Gamble and Suntory Wellness. J.F.C. has been an invited speaker at meetings organized by Alkermes, Janssen, Mead Johnson and Yakult. T.G.D. has been an invited speaker at meetings organized by AstraZeneca, Lundbeck, Janssen and Servier.

PowerPoint slides

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cryan, J., Dinan, T. Microbiota and neuroimmune signalling—Metchnikoff to microglia. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 12, 494–496 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2015.127

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2015.127

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing