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Beyond a gut feeling: How the immune system impacts the effect of gut microbiota in neurodevelopment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2019

Atiqah Azhari Open the ORCID record for Atiqah Azhari [Opens in a new window] ,
Farouq Azizan  and
Gianluca Esposito
Atiqah Azhari
Affiliation:
Social and Affiliative Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Program, Nanyang Technological University, S-639798Singapore. atiqah.azhari.09@gmail.comfarouqazizan@gmail.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/atiqah-azhari/https://www.linkedin.com/in/muhammadfarouqbinazizan/https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/sanlab/
Farouq Azizan
Affiliation:
Social and Affiliative Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Program, Nanyang Technological University, S-639798Singapore. atiqah.azhari.09@gmail.comfarouqazizan@gmail.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/atiqah-azhari/https://www.linkedin.com/in/muhammadfarouqbinazizan/https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/sanlab/
Gianluca Esposito
Affiliation:
Social and Affiliative Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Program, Nanyang Technological University, S-639798Singapore. atiqah.azhari.09@gmail.comfarouqazizan@gmail.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/atiqah-azhari/https://www.linkedin.com/in/muhammadfarouqbinazizan/https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/sanlab/ Affiliative Behaviour and Physiology Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Trento I-38068, Italy. gesposito79@gmail.comhttp://abp.dipsco.unitn.it/
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Abstract

Hooks et al. posit that gastrointestinal microbes alter the end state of development indirectly. Here, we present the immune system as the link that facilitates communication between the gut and the brain. Illustrating the case of autism spectrum disorder, we explicate the role of the immune system in responding to microbial dysbiosis by inducing an inflammatory state that affects neurodevelopment. We propose two models: directly, within the infant, and indirectly, via maternal and infant systems.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 42 , 2019 , e64
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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