Gut bacteria may interfere with the body’s serotonin levels, according to a new analysis.
The British and Spanish research team found gut microbiota linked to the brain by a protein called TLR2, which detects the bacteria but also regulates serotonin levels.
So far the findings have been established in cell cultures and on laboratory mice.
The findings, reported in PloS One, come from research at Exeter University Medical School and at the University of Zaragoza, Spain.
Researcher Dr Eva Latorre said the research was in its "early days."
She said: "This paper has concluded that the protein TLR2 alters the availability of serotonin, which is important in a range of conditions from depression to inflammatory bowel disease."
She added: "We need to understand much more about the relationship between the microbiota in our guts and how they interact, before we can hope to harness effective new treatments."
Fellow researcher Professor José Mesonero, of the University of Zaragoza, said: "This paper opens our minds about the complex universe of this forgotten organ: the microbiome. We have concluded that TLR2 not only can detect microbiota, but also modulate serotonin transport, one of the crucial mechanism in neurological and inflammatory diseases.
"Much has to be yet studied, but this work can improve our understanding about the connection between gut and brain thought microbiota."
Intestinal serotonin transporter inhibition by Toll-like receptor 2 activation. A feedback modulation. PloS One December 2016
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