A team of researchers at the University of Cambridge has now revealed that it could be the gut microbiome of pregnant mothers playing a decisive role in shaping the brain development of their unborn children. The benefits of introducing ‘good bacteria’ to expectant mothers may be established, according to a study published in the journal Molecular Metabolism.
The researchers did experiments on mice, comparing fetal brain development in those whose mothers had no gut bacteria versus those whose mothers were dosed with the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve. The findings were intriguing: fetuses of mothers dosed with Bifidobacterium breve showed an increase in nutrient transport to the brain and changes in cell processes related to growth.
Our study suggests that by providing ‘good bacteria’ to the mother, we might be able to improve the growth and development of her baby while she’s pregnant,” says Dr. Jorge Lopez-Tello, a researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Trophoblast Research and first author on the study. This could refocus treatments for fetal growth restriction from pharmaceutical interventions to probiotic solutions, reducing the risk of side effects for pregnant women.
Professor Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri, also from the Centre for Trophoblast Research and a senior author on the report, explained that current therapies for fetal growth restriction are largely focused on improving blood flow pathways in the mother. Their findings, however, suggest that improving maternal gut health is of more significance. “We know that good gut health, as determined by types of microbes in the gut, helps the body absorb all the necessary nutrients and protects against infections and diseases,” she said.
This is groundbreaking, since about 10% of first-time mothers experience low birth weight or fetal growth restriction in babies, with all its risks for serious health problems like cerebral palsy in babies and mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, autism, and schizophrenia later in life.
“This is a really exciting discovery that may in the future lead to clinical studies examining the crucial role of the maternal microbiome in supporting the healthy development of the brain before birth,” says Professor Lindsay Hall from the University of Birmingham, who was also a co-author on the research. Though more research will be required to determine how these effects translate to humans, such a finding may well provide a launch pad for future studies.
While conducted in mice, scientists involved in the study believe that there is a very good chance of translation into the human situation. They would like to continue this work by assessing how the brain develops through the postnatal stage of the offspring and how Bifidobacterium breve works with other gut bacteria in the natural environment.
It serves to underline the importance of health during a period of pregnancy and opens completely new chances to make sure future generations are healthy. As the scientific community learns more about how the gut microbiome interfaces with the development taking place across pregnancy, the future of probiotics in supporting healthy pregnancies will only continue to brighten.