Antibiotics in Early Life Could Lead to Brain Disorders
upstart writes:
Antibiotics in Early Life Could Lead to Brain Disorders:
Antibiotic exposure early in life could alter human brain development in areas responsible for cognitive and emotional functions, according to a Rutgers researcher.
The laboratory study, published in the journal iScience, suggests that penicillin changes the microbiome - the trillions of beneficial microorganisms that live in and on our bodies - as well as gene expression, which allows cells to respond to its changing environment, in key areas of the developing brain. The findings suggest reducing widespread antibiotic use or using alternatives when possible to prevent neurodevelopment problems.
Penicillin and related medicines (like ampicillin and amoxicillin) are the most widely used antibiotics in children worldwide. In the United States, the average child receives nearly three courses of antibiotics before the age of 2. Similar or greater exposure rates occur in many other countries.
Journal Reference:
Angelina Volkova, Kelly Ruggles, Anjelique Schulfer, et al. Effects of early-life penicillin exposure on the gut microbiome and frontal cortex and amygdala gene expression" 15 July 2021 iScience (DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102797)
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