Microbiota involvement in the Gut-Brain axis

There is a rapidly growing interest in the characterization of the human intestinal microbiota, its composition, and its multilevel effects in normal and pathological conditions. In addition to local intestinal effects, it is now evident that there is a close and continuous relationship between the gut, the intestinal microbiota and the brain in a bi-directional pathway. The so-called “gut-brain axis” is thought to play a role in modulating several metabolic, endocrine, immune, and even nervous processes and has become a possible target for therapeutic interventions. There are promising data about the clinical benefit of probiotics administration for treating functional and organic diseases.