Cracking the code of Brain Gut Microbiome Communication -
Channel: UCIBrenICS
Date: 2018-03-23

The Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics Distinguished Speaker Series presents:

"Cracking the code of brain gut microbiome communication"

Abstract: 
Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated bidirectional interactions within the brain gut microbiome (BGM) axis. Gut microbes communicate to the central nervous system through at least three parallel and interacting channels involving nervous, endocrine, and immune signaling mechanisms. On the other hand the brain can affect the community structure and function of the gut microbiota through the autonomic nervous system, by modulating regional gut motility, intestinal transit and secretion, and gut permeability, and potentially through the luminal secretion of hormones which directly modulate microbial gene expression. A series of largely preclinical observations implicates alterations in BGM communication in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of several common disorders, yet the mediators and communication channels underlying these associations remain largely unknown. 

Bio:
Emeran Mayer is a Gastroenterologist, Neuroscientist and Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Physiology and Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.  He is the Executive Director of the G Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress & Resilience and the co-director of the CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center at UCLA. As one of the pioneers and leading researchers in the role of mind-brain-gut interactions in health and chronic disease, he has made major scientific contributions to the area of basic and translational enteric neurobiology with wide-ranging applications in clinical GI diseases and disorders.

His most recent work in the area of brain gut interactions has focused on the role of the gut microbiota in influencing different aspects of the brain gut axis, including food addiction in obesity, and gastrointestinal symptoms in functional and inflammatory bowel disorders. His book The Mind Gut Connection was published by Harper&Collins in July  2016 and has been translated into 12 languages.

Recorded on March 15, 2018.