When Bacteria Take Over
What if the bacteria living in our gut were affecting our brains? As part of Brain Awareness Week*, theUM invites you to a lecture on these unassuming guests that seem to have such a profound influence on our health and behavior.
Help! Bacteria are invading us! Don’t worry—there’s nothing to be alarmed about. Bacteria, as well as viruses, parasites, and fungi—our bodies are home to many microorganisms, which thrive on our various mucous membranes, particularly in the gut. It’s a vibrant community that scientists call the “microbiota.” And we coexist with them in harmony, explains Philippe Berta…
2 kg of microscopic hosts
“The human body harbors some 100,000 billion microorganisms in the digestive tract alone: in the intestines, they weigh a total of 1.5 to 2 kg! And they comprise up to 10 times more bacteria than the total number of cells in a single individual,” continues this professor at the University of Nîmes, who heads the BIOTIN track of the Master’s in Biology and Health at theUM .
“Microbiota”? A term we didn’t know just a few years ago… Because we used to refer to it as “intestinal flora.” That was before we realized its importance—and, above all, made a stunning discovery: this “flora” is anything but inert; in fact, it is highly active. It appears to influence digestive, metabolic, immune, and neurological functions—to such an extent that some researchers now consider the gut microbiota to be an organ in its own right.
“The microbiota regulates many aspects of our physiology, including nutrition, maturation, and the functioning of our immune system. Today, a wealth of evidence suggests that this same microbiota has the ability to regulate the development of our brain, its functioning, and even our behavior,”explains Philippe Berta, who will present examples of recent data on the possible contribution of this microbiota to various pathological conditions: Parkinson’s disease, autism, stress, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
“Bacteria and the Brain: A Story of an Encounter”
Wednesday, March 15, 2017, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Site des Carmes, Nîmes
* The Brain from Every Angle!
March 2–21 marks Brain Awareness Week: events bringing the general public and researchers together to explore the brain, this still largely unexplored world. Lectures, film screenings followed by discussions, video café sessions, science bars, hands-on workshops, and theater performances: in short, a wide range of fun, educational, and fascinating events in Montpellier, Sète, Nîmes, and Frontignan—all free of charge.
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