肠道影响大脑,进而影响行为的观点已被广泛理解和接受。这一概念已经渗透到日常用语中,例如,“直觉”(gut feeling [gut:肠道])、“果敢”(gutsy [gut:肠道])和“忐忑不安”(butterflies in the stomach [stomach:胃])等词语。尽管如此,科学家直到最近才开始揭示肠脑轴背后的机制。这种沟通联系是一个新兴研究领域——神经胃肠病学的核心。
越来越多的证据表明,肠道微生物有助于形成正常的神经发育、大脑生物化学和行为。1特别是肠道微生物群正在成为肠道和大脑之间沟通的关键节点。这导致了一个新术语的诞生:微生物群肠脑轴。
微生物群使用多种不同的通道与大脑和中枢神经系统 (CNS) 进行通信,包括:
通过营养干预改变肠道微生物群有可能促进肠道和大脑之间的相互影响,甚至可能改变行为和情绪。
研究表明,肠道细菌与肥胖、阿尔茨海默病和宠物焦虑等疾病有许多联系。2-4后者很重要,因为多达 70% 的犬行为障碍可归因于某种形式的焦虑。5
兽医全科医生在鉴别和治疗患病宠物行为问题(如焦虑)方面的作用至关重要。6
宠物主人可能不会识别出所有的恐惧和焦虑体征,或者可能只在问题升级到危象状态时才前往就医。7
高达 70% 的犬行为障碍可归因于某种形式的焦虑,5而行为障碍是将宠物交给收容所的主要原因。8
焦虑可能会导致生理和行为方面的影响,例如对疾病的易感性增加、9心率加快、胃肠紊乱、来回踱步或转圈、或食欲改变。10
应激也会影响宠物的精神和社交健康,从而导致慢性沮丧和社交恐惧症的发生。11
一种细菌菌株,长双歧杆菌 (B. longum),已被证明有助于帮助犬保持平静的行为。
在一项盲法交叉研究中,Purina 的科学家发现,与喂食安慰剂的犬相比,喂食 长双歧杆菌的犬在表现焦虑行为方面显著减少。研究中大多数犬的心率和唾液皮质醇水平也较低。
从行为和生理角度来看,长双歧杆菌对焦虑患犬均有减轻焦虑的作用。
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这个链接指向一个英文视频,没有[中文]翻译
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