Tiny medicines for changing communication between the gut and brain

Dysregulation of the gut-brain axis may contribute to neuropsychiatric symptoms and neurodegenerative disorders.

• The gastrointestinal vagus nerve serves as a primary connection between the gut and the brain.
• Pathogenic bacteria can activate this nerve, potentially impacting brain function.
• Inflammatory bowel diseases can lead to microbial imbalance and intestinal inflammation, compromising the epithelial barrier.
• Increased circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines can cross the blood-brain barrier and may trigger neuroinflammation.
• Restoring microbiota balance could help reduce neuroinflammation and alleviate neuropsychiatric symptoms.
• Nanomedical tools are being explored to modulate gut-brain axis responses for potential therapies.

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