How microbes tune anxiety-related behavior?

The researchers observed elevated anxiety in GF C57BL/6J mice that had not been exposed to live microbes, as evidenced by the increased c-Fos expression, a proxy for neuronal activation in the basolateral amygdala.

Specifically, basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons displayed increased excitability in GF mice, recorded through changes in the calcium-activated potassium (SK2) channels.

Exposing GF mice to live microbes or oral administration of microbe-derived indoles restored SK2 channel activity in the basolateral amygdala and reduced anxiety behavior.

https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.1038/s44321-024-00179-y

https://sciencemission.com/Microbial-metabolites--and-anxiety