The human anatomy is a living, breathing, speaking and reacting box of a puzzle. The more you think you know about it, the more it finds reasons to surprise you. You would think that the different emotions experienced by our mind are the work of neurons.
For instance, endorphins help deal with stress and pain, while serotonin acts as a mood stabiliser. Meanwhile, dopamine hormones release when the body feels pleasure and oxytocin hormones released when the body feels love and trust.
However, it turns out that your gut is to blame for the way you react when it comes to fear. This is particularly the case with babies who are fearful and perceive danger more than others.
A new study by the Michigan State University and the University of North Carolina (MSU-UNC), Chapel Hill, suggests that the infant gut microbiome is responsible for making some babies more sensitive to fearful situations, while some babies have a milder reaction.
Infant Gut Microbiome Influences The Baby’s Fearfulness
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The MSU-UNC research team concluded that there is growing evidence tying neurological well-being to the microbiome in the gut. How someone reacts to a scary situation in early life can be an indicator of their future mental health.
MSU’s Rebecca Knickmeyer, leader of the study published in the journal Nature Communications said, “This early developmental period is a time of tremendous opportunity for promoting healthy brain development. The microbiome is an exciting new target that can be potentially used for that.”
The study further says that the gut microbiome could provide researchers and physicians with new ways to monitor and support neurological development.
Studying The Effects Of Gut Microbiome In Animals
Knickmeyer and her team began studying the role of the gut microbiome in fear response in animals. This led them to look for something similar in humans.
The team says studying the effect of the microbiome on young children, will help forecast mental health in some cases.
“Fear reactions are a normal part of child development. Children should be aware of threats in their environment and be ready to respond to them. But if they can’t dampen that response when they’re safe, they may be at heightened risk to develop anxiety and depression later on in life.” said Knickmeyer.
Determining The Effects Of Infant Gut Microbiome
The pilot study worked with 30 infants. The researchers selected the cohort carefully to keep several factors consistent that affect the gut microbiome.
All children in the study were breastfed and none was on antibiotics.
The researchers then characterised the infants’ microbiome by analysing stool samples. They assessed a baby’s fear response by observing how a child reacted to someone entering the room while wearing a Halloween mask.
Speaking about the test, Knickmeyer said, “We really wanted the experience to be enjoyable for both the kids and their parents. The parents were there the whole time and they could jump in whenever they wanted. These are really the kinds of experiences infants would have in their everyday lives.”
The data from the cohort showed significant associations between specific features of the infant gut microbiome and the fear responses of the babies.
The study concluded that children with uneven gut microbiome at one month of age were more fearful at the 12 months of age.
Uneven gut microbiomes have a significant amount of a small set of bacteria. In comparison, even microbiomes stay balanced. The study also concluded that fearful children at 12 months of age carried more of the same bacteria, as opposed to babies that were less fearful.
The study though did not observe how the babies reacted to strangers without masks. Knickmeyer said this is likely due to different parts of the brain involved with processing potentially frightening situations. So a mask would be a less social element for the baby to comprehend, as compared to a stranger.
Read: 7 things parents need to know about newborns’ gut health
Gut Microbiomes Could Influence The Amygdala
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The study also points out that children with exceptionally muted fear responses may develop callous, and unemotional traits associated with anti-social behaviour.
It found that the microbial community content at the age of 12 months is associated with the size of the amygdala. That’s the part of the brand which makes quick decisions based on potential threats.
So, the study states that the infant gut microbiome may influence how the amygdala develops. The more of the same bacteria in your baby’s gut, the more fearful they will be.
The MSU-UNC researchers are now working on replicating this study with a new cohort. They are also working on new collaborations on the subject.
This could be a key development in how to process mental health growth and well-being in children and adults.
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