Shaping a second brain in the bowel: a microbial perspective in the context of malnutrition

Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5242, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Undernutrition-induced stunting is a major worldwide health issue, affecting 150 million children under 5 years of age1. In early life, it is associated with persistent stunting. We previously demonstrated the ability of selected probiotic strains to buffer the deleterious effect of undernutrition on juvenile growth2. Besides deficiencies in the central nervous system, malnourished animals also show abnormal development of the ENS. In order to selectively address how the microbial environment shapes maturation of the ENS after weaning, we used a mouse with a simplified microbiota. Overall, our findings suggest that modulating the microbial environment during malnutrition shapes the maturation of the ENS. Further studies will reveal the mechanisms underlying such phenotypes. 1. 2020 Global Nutrition Report. https://globalnutritionreport.org/. 2. Schwarzer, M. et al. Lactobacillus plantarum strain maintains growth of infant mice during chronic undernutrition. Science 351, 854–857 (2016).