Exposure to a social stressor disrupts the community structure of the colonic mucosa-associated microbiota.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The microbiota of the mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) tract consists of diverse populations of commensal bacteria that interact with host physiological function. Dysregulating these populations, through exogenous means such as antibiotics or dietary changes, can have adverse consequences on the health of the host. Studies from laboratories such as ours have demonstrated that exposure to psychological stressors disrupts the population profile of intestinal microbiota. To date, such studies have primarily focused on prolonged stressors (repeated across several days) and have assessed fecal bacterial populations. It is not known whether shorter stressors can also impact the microbiota, and whether colonic mucosa-associated populations can also be affected. The mucosa-associ

SUBMITTER: Galley JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4105248 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature