The maternal microbiome promotes placental development in mice.

The maternal microbiome is an important regulator of gestational health, but how it impacts the placenta as the interface between mother and fetus remains unexplored. Here we show that the maternal gut microbiota supports placental development in mice. Depletion of the maternal gut microbiota restricts placental growth and impairs feto-placental vascularization.

Malnutrition and the microbiome as modifiers of early neurodevelopment.

Malnutrition refers to a dearth, excess, or altered differential ratios of calories, macronutrients, or micronutrients. Malnutrition, particularly during early life, is a pressing global health and socioeconomic burden that is increasingly associated with neurodevelopmental impairments. Understanding how perinatal malnutrition influences brain development is crucial to uncovering fundamental mechanisms for establishing behavioral neurocircuits, with the potential to inform public policy and clinical interventions for neurodevelopmental conditions.

Early life adversity predicts brain-gut alterations associated with increased stress and mood.

Alterations in the brain-gut system have been implicated in various disease states, but little is known about how early-life adversity (ELA) impacts development and adult health as mediated by brain-gut interactions. We hypothesize that ELA disrupts components of the brain-gut system, thereby increasing susceptibility to disordered mood. In a sample of 128 healthy adult participants, a history of ELA and current stress, depression, and anxiety were assessed using validated questionnaires.

Interactions between maternal fluoxetine exposure, the maternal gut microbiome and fetal neurodevelopment in mice.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most widely used treatment by women experiencing depression during pregnancy. However, the effects of maternal SSRI use on early offspring development remain poorly understood. Recent studies suggest that SSRIs can modify the gut microbiota and interact directly with particular gut bacteria, raising the question of whether the gut microbiome impacts host responses to SSRIs.

The maternal microbiome modulates fetal neurodevelopment in mice.

'Dysbiosis' of the maternal gut microbiome, in response to challenges such as infection, altered diet and stress during pregnancy, has been increasingly associated with abnormalities in brain function and behaviour of the offspring. However, it is unclear whether the maternal gut microbiome influences neurodevelopment during critical prenatal periods and in the absence of environmental challenges. Here we investigate how depletion and selective reconstitution of the maternal gut microbiome influences fetal neurodevelopment in mice.

Cross-Generational Transmission of Early Life Stress Effects on HPA Regulators and Bdnf Are Mediated by Sex, Lineage, and Upbringing.

Early life stress (ELS) is a potent developmental disruptor and increases the risk for psychopathology. Various forms of ELS have been studied in both humans and rodents, and have been implicated in altered DNA methylation, gene transcription, stress hormone levels, and behavior. Although recent studies have focused on stress-induced epigenetic changes, the extent to which ELS alters HPA axis function and stress responsivity across generations, whether these effects are sex-specific, and how lineage interacts with upbringing to impact these effects, remain unclear.