ABOVE: A study uncovers connections between gut microbes such as Bifidobacterium (illustrated above) and people’s social lives.
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The paper
K.V.-A. Johnson, “Gut microbiome composition and diversity are related to human personality traits,” J Hu Mic, 15:100069, 2020.
Researchers have shown that fecal transplants in mice can change the animals’ temperaments. Several studies have also linked the human microbiome to psychiatric illnesses, including autism and depression. But to date, few experiments have considered the microbiome of the general population and whether variations in gut bacteria are associated with personality traits, says microbiome-gut-brain axis researcher Katerina Johnson of Oxford University.
In a recent study, Johnson analyzed gut microbiome data obtained from stool samples of 655 individuals, along with survey-based information about their personality and behavior, health and lifestyle, dietary habits, and sociodemographics. She found that people who have larger social networks are more likely to have greater gut microbiome diversity, which ...
