M6 Gut-brain axis

Title

The gut-brain axis describes the bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the central nervous system. The composition of the microbiota is modeled with a Lotka-Volterra type competitive dynamics, and its fermentative activity produces short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that act as a signal to the vagus nerve, extending the neural coding formalism of E13 to an afferent signal of peripheral origin. The integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier regulates the translocation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the systemic circulation; When this permeability increases due to local inflammation, circulating LPS can induce central neuroinflammation, establishing a direct bridge with the M7 model. Additionally, the microbiota participates in the metabolism of neurotransmitter precursors, such as tryptophan, precursor of serotonin, already introduced in the depression model (A8).

ID:4278