The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem of over 10 times as many microbes as human cells. It plays an important role in brain function through direct and indirect interactions. Probiotics can help balance and improve gut and brain health by inhibiting pathogens, stabilizing the gut ecosystem, supporting immunity, and interacting with the brain through metabolites and hormones. Maintaining resilience is important for staying within normal functional limits, especially as people age.

1. Why is the gut
our second
brain?
Robert-J M Brummer MD PhD
Professor of Gastroenterology and
Clinical Nutrition, director Nutrition-Gut-
Brain Interactions Research Centre
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Örebro University,
Sweden
Helsinki, June 15, 2016

2. The Gut-Brain Axis

3. © Robert Brummer 2014
Components of the gut-brain axis

4. The Gut and State of Mind

5. The Gut and State of Mind

6. The Gut and State of Mind

7. The Gut and State of Mind

8. Gut microbiota
• 10x more microbes than
body cells
• Separate genome
• Build a complex
‘ecosystem’
• Many functions
• First years of life are pivotal
• Aberrant composition in
many disorders
• Effect on brain function?!

9. Healthy microbiota
Infections
Antibiotics Bowel
cleansingx
x
x
x
x
x
x

10. How can microbes affect brain
functions, and which functions?
• Direct microbe-host
interactions
• Indirect actions mediated
by microbial metabolites

11. How can we
improve/balance
our gut (and brain)
function?

12. How do probiotics work?
• Inhibition of pathogenic bacteria
• Stabilizing the gut “eco system”
• Supporting the immune system
• Enhancing intestinal “barrier function”
• Attenuation of mucosal stress responses
• Immune-modulatory/ anti-inflammatory action
• Alteration of bacterial products
• Alteration of gut hormone secretion
• Interaction with the brain

13. Lactobacillus rhamnosis GG (ATCC 53103)
LGG

14. The resilience model
Limits of normal
functionality

15. The resilience model
Limits of normal
functionality

16. The resilience model
Limits of normal
functionality

17. The resilience model
Limits of normal
functionality

18. The resilience model (adaptive capacity)
Limits of normal
functionality

19. The resilience model (e.g. ageing)
Limits of normal
functionality

20. Bridging science and practice….
…bridging practice and science!© Robert Brummer 2014

21. © Robert Brummer 2014