CSP - GASTRoNAUTS: A Symposium on Gut-brain Matters
Abstract
BACKGROUND: How the brain and the gut communicate has fascinated us for centuries.Sydney Whiting wrote in his 1853 book~Memoirs of" a Stomach~ ~between myself and [~]Mr. Brain, there was established a double set of electric wires, by which means I could, withth""e greatest ease and rapidity, tell him all the occurrences of the day as they arrived, and healso could impart to me his own feelin""gs and impressions.~ For example, the nutrient- andmicrobial-sensing enteroendocrine cells (EECs) produce 80% of body~s serotonin,"" animportant neurotransmitter for the brain, release various hormones and peptides locally andinto systemic circulation, and conne"ct to the nodose ganglion in the brain via the vagal nerve.Communication between the brain and the gut has been implicated in a wid"e range ofdiseases, including Parkinson~s disease, diabetes, and functional dyspepsia. The microbiomegut-brain axis can also be mo""dulated to enhance cognition and reduce anxiety/depression.However, several barriers still exist to modulate the gut-brain axis for"" therapeutics orperformance enhancement. First, the mechanisms and pathways involved in the axis arelargely unknown, so anatomic a""nd functional mapping of the circuitry is needed. Second, newdevices are needed for chemical and electrical stimulation and recordi""ng of the axis. Third,new behavioural tests need to be developed to evaluate the performance of gut-brainmodulation. To solve thes""e challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach that bringstogether neurobiologists, engineers, microbiologists, and gastroente""rologists.The ability to modulate the gut-brain axis through chemical, electrical, or microbial means willenable applications such"" as cognition/performance enhancement, reduction ofanxiety/depression, and treatment of GI-related disorders. The improvement of wa"r fightercapability and well-beings is a core mission for the Office of Naval Research.OBJECTIVES: To foster multidisciplinary col"laborations, we propose to organize a 2-dayScientific Workshop around the theme of gut-brain biology. The workshop will take place" atthe Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. This region has been identified as aninternational hub for fostering the development of interdisciplinary interactions of scientists inthis field. The specific objectives are as follows:~ TECHNICAL: To distill the current knowledge on gut-brain biology into aTechnical Proceedings to be published in a Specialized Journal of broadscientific outreach.~ SCIENTIFIC: To foster multidisciplinary collaborations that will result in highquality research grant proposals and projects.OUTCOMES related to US Naval and Marine Corp Science & Technology Plan: Gutrelatedconditions can induce anxiety and eating disorders. Military service members arevulnerable to these conditions during stressful deployments. The gut-brain axis is emergingas an attractive target to treat such brain disorders from outside the brain. The gut microbiomeis now under intense scrutiny for its" potential as a therapeutic target to treat behavioraldisorders. It is evident that gut microbes alter eating, mood, and anxiety be""haviors. Even aterm exists for those gut microbes ~ psychobiotics. However, the specific mechanisms throughwhich gut microbes may" alter behavior remain unknown. By educating scientists of thepotential of this field and fostering the exchange of scientific idea"s, multidisciplinaryapproaches will emerge to tackle those disorders from the gut
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 23, 2018
- Source ID
- N629091812053
Entities
People
- Paul Yen
Organizations
- National University of Singapore
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy