The team researches links between the gut microbiome and human cognitive and emotional functions.
Food and Cognitive Abilities
Animal studies have proven that the quality and the amount of gut microbiome impact cognitive functions. Animals, whose microbiome was wiped out or diminished showed impairment in learning processes and in spatial and working memory. A correlation between the gut microbiome and emotional process as well as mood has also been observed in people. Studies have indicated that people suffering from depression and anxiety have different type of bacteria and the quality of microbiome than healthy individuals. Furthermore, there are indications that gut microbiome may play a role in diseases related to neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration, such as autism disorders, ADHD, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Research Objectives
The goal of the GutTeam is to better understand the impact of the gut microbiome on behavior, especially in relation to mood changes and cognitive functions in healthy individuals and patients undergoing fecal microbiota transplant (FMT).
Development
In September 2019, doctoral students from the GutTeam participated in The Gut-Brain Axis – Neuroscience School of Advanced Studies, which included lectures and discussions on the links between the gut and the brain, conducted by the leading experts in the field from all over the world.
Colaborations
The GutTeam collaborates with Dorota Zielińska, Ph.D. / Associate Professor at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences