Posted by Hugh on May 28, 2020, at 10:28:07
In reply to Super probiotics of the near future for depression, posted by Hugh on May 25, 2020, at 13:11:57
Intriguing new research from the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that one particular bacteria could have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects on the brain. Early studies in rodent models have found that through injections of the bacteria the animals can be essentially "immunized" against displaying anxious responses to stressful situations.
"We found that in rodents this particular bacterium, Mycobacterium vaccae, actually shifts the environment in the brain toward an anti-inflammatory state," says Matthew Frank, lead author of the new study.
Mycobacterium vaccae was first discovered in the 1990s in soil near the shores of Lake Kyoga in Uganda. It turned out the bacterium was from the same genus as that which causes tuberculosis. Interestingly, scientists noticed that people living in the vicinity of the lake in Uganda tended to respond to tuberculosis vaccines better than others. Since then, research into this mysterious bacterium has been booming.
Initially, researchers were studying Mycobacterium vaccae for its immune-modulating properties. In 2004, a trial using the bacterium as an adjunct to chemotherapy in lung cancer patients failed to improve survival rates but it did deliver a curious side effect. Patients receiving the bacterium displayed a significantly improved mood, leading researchers to begin exploring its cognitive effects.
Unlike other probiotic delivery mechanisms that are more geared at being consumed orally, to enter the gut and alter one's microbiome, this technique operates more like a traditional vaccine - an injection of an inert compound that stimulates the body to produce its own beneficial response. In other words, a literal immunization against stress, depression and anxiety.
Complete article:
https://newatlas.com/probiotic-bacteria-immunization-anxiety-depression/54950/
poster:Hugh
thread:1110321
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20200511/msgs/1110379.html