WHY ARE SOME MUSHROOMS “MAGIC”?
Researchers investigate the evolutionary development of psilocybin in some mushrooms. They conclude mushrooms may have evolved to be hallucinogenic to lower the odds of being eaten by insects.… READ MORE…
IS THE BRAIN PARASITE TOXOPLASMA MANIPULATING YOUR BEHAVIOR, OR IS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM TO BLAME?
Immune system response to chronic infection may be more directly to blame for health and behavioral changes associated with Toxoplasma gondii infections.… READ MORE…
GUT MICROBES FROM HEALTHY INFANTS BLOCK MILK ALLERGY DEVELOPMENT: MOUSE STUDY
Researchers report infants who are allergic to cow milk have a different composition of gut microbes than those who are not allergic to the milk. Transplanting gut microbes from those with no allergies helped to protect against potentially life threatening reactions. The study suggests gut microbes impact the host’s immune system and play a critical role in regulating allergic responses to food.… READ MORE…
BABY POOP MAY BE A SOURCE OF BENEFICIAL PROBIOTICS
Researchers have developed a probiotic ‘cocktail’ from gut bacteria found in infant feces. They say the ‘cocktail’ could help to increase the body’s ability to produce short chain fatty acids. The probiotic could be used to help those suffering from cancers, autoimmune disorders, obesity, diabetes and other disorders which limit the ability of the body to produce SCFAs naturally. … READ MORE…
A SENSE OF DISGUST IN BONOBOS?
Researchers report bonobos express disgust when presented with contaminated food. The study reveals their curiosity transforms into caution when food is presented near feces or a bad smell.… READ MORE…
NEW TYPE OF BOTOX IDENTIFIED
Researchers have identified a new active botulinum neurotoxin. The discovery could lead to the development of new protein therapeutics.… READ MORE…
HOW TOXOPLASMOSIS EXPLOITS IMMUNE CELLS TO REACH THE BRAIN
Stockholm University researchers have discovered how a common parasite found in cat feces moves through the body and enters the brain. Toxoplasma gondii is able to take control of immune cells and use them to move through the body, eventually reaching the brain.… READ MORE…
WHAT GROSSES OUT A CHIMP?
Exposure to biological contaminants, such as feces and blood, through smell, sight and touch influence feeding choices in chimpanzees, a new study reports.… READ MORE…
GUT MICROBES MAY TALK TO THE BRAIN THROUGH CORTISOL
Researchers identify a predictive relationship between serotonin, cortisol and fecal microbiota. The study provides additional support for previous findings that implicate gut bacteria in ASD.… READ MORE…
HOW TO STOP THE NASTY LURKING TOXOPLASMOSIS PARASITE? TARGET ITS ‘STOMACH’
Study suggests new avenues for treating toxoplasmosis parasite infections.… READ MORE…
GENETIC OPPOSITES ATTRACT WHEN CHIMPANZEES CHOOSE A MATE
A new study reports chimps are more likely to select mates whose genetic makeup differs most from their own.… READ MORE…
PARKINSON’S DISEASE LINKED TO GUT MICROBIOME
A new study reports a link between the deterioration of motor skills in Parkinson’s disease and alterations in the composition of populations of gut bacteria.… READ MORE…
BRAIN SCANS OF DEMENTIA PATIENTS WITH COPROPHAGIA SHOWED NEURODEGENERATION
A new study reports on a link between coprophagia and certain neurodegenerative diseases and dementias.… READ MORE…
THE SMELL OF FEAR: NEURONS INVOLVED IN RODENT STRESS RESPONSE IDENTIFIED
Researchers identify neurons and a specific brain region behind the innate fear response.… READ MORE…
GUT MICROBES SIGNAL TO THE BRAIN WHEN THEY ARE FULL
According to a new study, twenty minutes after a meal, gut microbes produce proteins that suppress the desire for feeding in animals.… READ MORE…
CHANGES IN ABUNDANCE OF MOUSE GUT BACTERIA CONNECTED TO CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
According to researchers, changes in the abundance of gut bacteria in female mice is tied to the rhythms of the internal clock.… READ MORE…
WOMEN INFECTED WITH TOXOPLASMA GONDII PARASITE HAVE INCREASED RISK OF ATTEMPTING SUICIDE
Women infected with the Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) parasite, which is spread through contact with cat feces or eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables, are at increased risk of attempting suicide, according to a new study of more than 45,000 women in Denmark.… READ MORE…