Prof. John Cryan’s Wired-Health Talk now available

18 May 2015

Feeling stressed? The answer could be in your poo! The bacteria in your gut could be having a big impact on your brain. The evidence is increasingly compelling according to John F Cryan, professor of anatomy and neuroscience at University College Cork.

Recent research by Cryan and his colleagues has shown a direct link between stress in the early life of animals and a different selection of gut bacteria when they grow up.

"There are certain bacteria that could promote positive effects on mental health," he explains at WIRED Health 2015. "You need your microbes for an adequate stress response."

Recent studies have shown that animals given certain bacteria showed a positive response, dealing better with anxiety and stress. "They were a lot more chilled out and relaxed. We looked at their brains and there were widespread changes," Cryan says. "The question is how? How can bacteria in your gut communicate with your brain?"

Listen to Professor John Cryan spead at the recent WIRED Health 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAH4ovCp8fw#t=28

WIRED Health 2015 was a one-day event exploring the future of healthcare, designed to introduce, explain and predict trends in the medical and personal healthcare industries. It is a showcase for the extraordinary innovators using technology to re-imagine the health sector. From diagnostics and neuroscience, to data-driven healthcare and new material sciences helping to re-build the human body, WIRED Health is a haven for disruptive thinking and innovation. WIRED Health 2015 was held at 30 Euston Square, London, home to the Royal College of General Practitioners.