神经损伤与修复
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Figure 1｜Neurobiotics: targeting the gut microbiota as a strategy to promote neural repair and regeneration.
Based on the large emerging body of scientific evidence, the answer is certainly yes, especially when considering psychiatric disorders (Murciano-Brea et al., 2021). This observation has led to the definition of the scientific concept of “psychobiotics”, which has been coined to refer to those probiotics (live organisms, mainly gut bacteria) and prebiotics (the fiber used by the psychobiotics) with potential applications in treating psychiatric and mood disorders (Dinan et al., 2013). Yet, an increasing body of evidence is emerging regarding the potential of microbiota-targeted interventions for treating other neurological disorders that involve injury and/or degeneration (Kigerl et al., 2018). Based on this evidence, in this perspective article we propose the adoption of the new scientific concept of “neurobiotics” to name any substance (mainly probiotics and prebiotics, but also specific diets, microbiota transplants or antibiotics) that exerts a gut-microbiota-mediated effect with potential applications in promoting neural repair and regeneration after neurological disorders (Figure 1).