Research Review – September 2011
Neurologic and Psychiatric Manifestations of Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity.
Jackson JR, Eaton WW, Cascella NG, Fasano A, Kelly DL.
Psychiatr Q. 2011 Aug 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Celiac Disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disease dependent on gluten (a protein present in wheat, rye or barley) that occurs in about 1% of the population and is generally characterized by gastrointestinal complaints. More recently the understanding and knowledge of gluten sensitivity (GS), has emerged as an illness distinct from celiac disease with an estimated prevalence 6 times that of CD. Gluten sensitive people do not have villous atrophy or antibodies that are present in celiac disease, but rather they can test positive for antibodies to gliadin. Both CD and GS may present with a variety of neurologic and psychiatric co-morbidities, however, extraintestinal symptoms may be the prime presentation in those with GS. However, gluten sensitivity remains undertreated and underrecognized as a contributing factor to psychiatric and neurologic manifestations. This review focuses on neurologic and psychiatric manifestations implicated with gluten sensitivity, reviews the emergence of gluten sensitivity distinct from celiac disease, and summarizes the potential mechanisms related to this immune reaction.
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Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve.
Bravo JA, Forsythe P, Chew MV, Escaravage E, Savignac HM, Dinan TG, Bienenstock J, Cryan JF.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Aug 29.
There is increasing, but largely indirect, evidence pointing to an effect of commensal gut microbiota on the central nervous system (CNS). However, it is unknown whether lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus could have a direct effect on neurotransmitter receptors in the CNS in normal, healthy animals. GABA is the main CNS inhibitory neurotransmitter and is significantly involved in regulating many physiological and psychological processes. Alterations in central GABA receptor expression are implicated in the pathogenesis of anxiety and depression, which are highly comorbid with functional bowel disorders. In this work, we show that chronic treatment with L. rhamnosus (JB-1) induced region-dependent alterations in GABA(B1b) mRNA in the brain with increases in cortical regions (cingulate and prelimbic) and concomitant reductions in expression in the hippocampus, amygdala, and locus coeruleus, in comparison with control-fed mice. In addition, L. rhamnosus (JB-1) reduced GABA(Aα2) mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, but increased GABA(Aα2) in the hippocampus. Importantly, L. rhamnosus (JB-1) reduced stress-induced corticosterone and anxiety- and depression-related behavior. Moreover, the neurochemical and behavioral effects were not found in vagotomized mice, identifying the vagus as a major modulatory constitutive communication pathway between the bacteria exposed to the gut and the brain. Together, these findings highlight the important role of bacteria in the bidirectional communication of the gut-brain axis and suggest that certain organisms may prove to be useful therapeutic adjuncts in stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression.
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A Study in Balance: How Microbiomes Are Changing the Shape of Environmental Health
Environ Health Perspect. 2011 Aug 1;119(8):a340-6.
full text:
http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/info:doi/10.1289/ehp.119-a340
New findings about the ways in which human microbiomes transform arsenic and mercury—two of our most prevalent and well-defined external human health hazards—suggest the role of commensal bacteria may equal or exceed that of genetic polymorphisms that regulate metal transformations within the body, says Ellen Silbergeld, a professor of environmental health sciences at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. The implications of these new insights are staggering. Environmental health scientists may need to expand the toxicokinetics of metals and other environmental agents, as well as associated biomarkers, to include the microbial component....
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Scientific American: The Neuroscience of the Gut
Regardless of how these intestinal "guests" exert their influence, these
studies suggest that brain-directed behaviors, which influence the manner in
which animals interact with the external world, may be deeply influenced by
that animal's relationship with the microbial organisms living in its gut.
And the discovery that gut bacteria exert their influence on the brain
within a discrete developmental stage may have important implications for
developmental brain disorders."
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-neuroscience-of-gut
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Air pollution impairs cognition, provokes depressive-like behaviors and alters hippocampal cytokine expression and morphology
L K Fonken et al
Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication 5 July 2011; doi: 10.1038/mp.2011.76
http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/mp201176a.html
Perfluorochemicals linked with impulsivity.
By Charlie Schmidt Chemical & Engineering News 30 June 2011
Industrial Pollutants: Scientists find that high blood levels correlate with a core feature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Children’s exposure to a growing list of industrial chemicals, including certain pesticides and phthalates, has been linked to development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Now evidence suggests that perfluorinated chemicals boost ADHD risks by making children prone to impulsive behavior.
A study published in December found tantalizing links between blood PFC levels and diagnoses of ADHD. Brooks Gump, a psychologist at Syracuse University, wanted to go one step further.
more…
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