Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Jewish Business News

Health New Researches

Microbiome-Aggression Link in Mice Discovered by Israeli Researchers

The study is particularly noteworthy for its use of “humanized” mice, which have been implanted with human intestinal bacteria.

A recent study conducted by Professor Omry Koren and graduate student Atara Uzan-Yuzari at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine at Bar-Ilan University identified a strong link between the gut microbiome and aggressive behavior in mice. Published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the research demonstrates how alterations in the microbiome, particularly resulting from early-life antibiotic exposure, can contribute to heightened aggression.

The study expands upon prior research that observed a connection between antibiotic exposure and increased aggression in fruit flies. By employing a mouse model, the researchers have advanced this investigation, exploring behavioral, biochemical, and neurological modifications resulting from changes in the microbiome.

Please help us out :
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.

The team also transplanted a microbiome derived from infants who had received antibiotics shortly after birth into mice, observing notable increases in aggression compared to those receiving a microbiome from infants not exposed to antibiotics.

“Our findings are revolutionary,” said Prof. Koren. “They suggest that a disrupted microbiome during critical developmental periods can lead to persistent aggressive behaviors later in life.”

To assess aggression, the research team employed the resident-intruder paradigm, where a foreign mouse is introduced into the home cage of a resident mouse. The results indicated a clear link between reduced diversity in gut bacteria—caused by antibiotic treatment—and increased aggression. Additionally, significant changes in metabolites and gene expression related to aggression were observed in the brains of the mice.

The study is particularly noteworthy for its use of “humanized” mice, which have been implanted with human intestinal bacteria. This approach enhances the relevance of the findings to human health and behavior, providing insights into how early-life antibiotic exposure can shape future social behaviors.

The research also explores the biochemical mechanisms underlying these behavioral changes, measuring neurotransmitter levels such as serotonin and tryptophan in the brains of the mice. The team identified key patterns of gene expression in several brain regions, highlighting the septum as a crucial area in regulating aggression.

The results of this study indicate that the gut-brain axis is instrumental in the development of aggression, especially when the microbiome is disrupted during critical developmental stages, like infancy. This research suggests new possibilities for understanding how early-life interventions might impact long-term behavioral outcomes and for creating strategies to mitigate these effects and enhance social behavior.

Newsletter



Advertisement

You May Also Like

World News

In the 15th Nov 2015 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:   ·         A new Israeli treatment brings hope to relapsed leukemia...

Entertainment

The Movie The Professional is what made Natalie Portman a Lolita.

Travel

After two decades without a rating system in Israel, at the end of 2012 an international tender for hotel rating was published.  Invited to place bids...

VC, Investments

You may not become a millionaire, but there is a lot to learn from George Soros.