The Gut-Brain Connection

From the article (my italics):
"Some very bright people believe that chronic diseases are all caused by chronic infections, and in some cases this may be true, for example, toxoplasma infection is associated with a higher risk of developing schizophrenia, but I think the body’s stress response, once it is out of balance, can explain many chronic illnesses without invoking a chronic infection in every case."

I know some people are really into these hypotheses but i find them distressing, having had a history of trying to heal my colitis by changing my gut bacteria and lifestyle - and failing. It allows people on the outside to judge, this is why you got sick, and then at least in my case feeling ashamed about myself.

Of course if it works for you then use it. But one MD saying "I think that this is what causes chronic disease" is not enough to convince me. If these hypotheses are correct it also doesn't explain why those with colectomy have the same personality and mental health traits before and after (except for the changes in mood that come from being healthier or having post surgical complications). Ironically, my mental health has been much better since I stopped believing the whole gut brain hypothesis.

Post Edited (poopydoop) : 5/19/2019 5:23:00 AM (GMT-6)

I don't see the conflict.

gut microbes do affect the immune system and the body and mental health. The mind, the body, and the gut in turn influence the gut microbes. It is a system.

Some changes to gut microbes or body or mind may be readily reversed, some may not be. The relation between the microbiome and the host will be mediated genetically (more or less) because the body and immune system is coded in the genes.

Environmental stressors can affect the mind, and long term chronic stress has been associated with onset of UC (but not short term acute stress - that just effects symptoms). Environmental stressors, such as antibiotics or infectious agents, can affect the microbiome. Its a system.

The way forward is comprehensive thinking, and trying to find the most productive strings to tug. The way to nowhere is simplistic either/or thinking.

quincy said...
Plus genetic connection....let's not forget that either. There are millions of people with screwed up guts and never get said diseases.
q

Yes. Thats what I meant when I wrote 'The relation between the microbiome and the host will be mediated genetically" - but I realize that "mediated" is not a common term. In plainer language a change in gut microbes or a change in body is not a guaranteed change in the other.

How much change, or virtually none at all, depends on the genes.