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Gut
Researchers Gain Insight into the Gut Microbiome of Birds BY B e t h a n y Au g l i e r e
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t may seem outlandish, but what if studying the bacteria living in a bird’s gut could help researchers understand more about how humans learn to talk or even human brain diseases? Billions of microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, fungi and viruses, live inside the human digestive tract dubbed the gut microbiota. In recent years, studies have
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linked this microbiome with heart health, brain function, the immune system, mood and sleep. Some even call gut bacteria the “second brain,” which actually refers to the communication between the digestive system and central nervous system (the brain and spine) through biochemical messages. Yet, few studies have examined this relationship in species other than mammals, like rats and humans. However, researchers at FAU set out to change that. In a recent study published in the Royal Society’s journal Biology Letters, Morgan Slevin, lead and corresponding author and an FAU doctoral student in integrative biology and neuroscience, studied the gut microbiota in relation to
