Gut microbiota

A new study reports the gut microbiota can modulate serotonin transporter activity.

Source: University of Exeter.

Scientists at the University of Exeter Medical School and University of Zaragoza in Spain studied a protein known as TLR2, a critical detector of the microbiota found in the intestine. They found that it regulates levels of serotonin – a neurotransmitter which carries messages to the brain, and is also found in the gut, where it regulates our bowel routines.

Researchers have found evidence that could shed new light on the complex community of trillions of microorganisms living in all our guts, and how they interact with our bodies16