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if not yet proved, that we might one day use microbes to diagnose neurodevelopmental disorders, treat mental illnesses and perhaps even fix them in the brain....

Researchers spiked the diet of mice with the dioxin 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF), a common persistent environmental contaminant, and examined the effects on gut microbiota and their metabolism (2). The levels used were 1000 fold higher that common dietary exposure, but still provide insight into how such toxins may affect our health. A low-dose study that better reflects common exposures is currently underway.

Dietary TCDF altered the gut microbiota by shifting the ratio of dominant bacteria Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, indicating that the total population of the gut microbiota was changed. And these bacterial changes were associated with increased bacterial fermentation, significant intestinal inflammation, changes in liver function, and metabolic changes that influence fat and glucose metabolism.

These results suggest that environmental toxins may negatively impact gut bacteria in ways that contribute to the development of chronic disease. Adding to this evidence, other toxins including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and urban airborne particulate matter (air pollution) have also been shown to have a negative effect on gut bacteria (3,4).