Maternal obesity has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Buffington and colleagues now provide causal evidence linking maternal diet, gut microbiota and the central nervous system, highlighting key components of gut–brain signalling and indicating that a probiotic might relieve behavioural abnormalities.
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Forsythe, P., Bienenstock, J. Microbiota and behaviour: visiting the sins of the mother. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 13, 502–504 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2016.122
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2016.122
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