Life Sciences Faculties

To coexist with our resident microbiota we must possess the ability to sense them and adjust our behavior. While the intestine is known to transduce nutrient signals to the brain to guide appetite, the mechanisms by which the host responds in real time to resident gut microbes have remained undefined. We found that specific colonic neuropod cells detect ubiquitous microbial signatures and communicate directly with vagal neurons to regulate feeding behavior. This pathway operates independently of immune or metabolic responses and suggests the host possesses a dedicated sensory circuit to maintain equilibrium. We call this sense at the interface of the biota and the brain the neurobiotic sense.