Improving Wellbeing Through the Brain-Gut-Microbiota Axis

Well-being is a state defined as the optimal psychological functioning and the experience associated with it, integrating physical and subjective factors. It has been suggested that the bidirectional interaction between the brain and the rest of the body is fundamental in the regulation of wellbeing levels. In particular, the gastrointestinal system (modulated by the microbiota) sends information that is integrated by the brain, affecting its functioning and mental processes. However, the mechanism of such communication is still unknown. The aim of this proposal is to study the different ways in which psychological processes can influence gut signals and vice versa, and how this relationship might be trained or modified in order to improve wellbeing.