Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – A recent study on mice has shown that the presence of the bacterium Bifidobacterium breve in the mother’s gut during pregnancy promotes proper brain development in the fetus.
In the study, researchers contrasted the brain development of fetuses from mothers with no gut bacteria to those whose mothers were given oral Bifidobacterium breve during pregnancy, while also having no other bacteria in their gut.
They observed that nutrient transport to the brain increased in fetuses whose mothers received Bifidobacterium breve, along with positive changes in other cellular processes related to growth.
Bifidobacterium breve is a beneficial bacterium that naturally exists in the human gut and can be taken as a supplement through probiotic drinks and tablets.
Researchers pointed out that pregnancy complications, such as obesity or chronic stress, can disrupt the gut microbiome in women, often leading to fetal growth issues. Up to 10% of first-time mothers give birth to babies with low birth weight or fetal growth restrictions. Poor growth in the womb raises the likelihood of conditions like cerebral palsy in infants, and in later life, it increases the risk of anxiety, depression, autism, and schizophrenia.
These findings suggest that enhancing fetal brain metabolism by taking Bifidobacterium breve supplements during pregnancy could support healthier fetal development.
The study’s results appeared in Molecular Metabolism recently.
“Our study suggests that by providing ‘good bacteria’ to the mother we could improve the growth and development of her baby while she’s pregnant,” added Dr Jorge Lopez-Tello, a researcher for the University of Cambridge, Centre for Trophoblast Research, and first author of the report.
“This means future treatments for fetal growth restriction could potentially focus on altering the gut microbiome through probiotics, rather than offering pharmaceutical treatments – with the risk of side effects – to pregnant women,” he said.
Professor Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri, who is a researcher for the University of Cambridge, Centre for Trophoblast Research and the senior author of the study. She is a Fellow at St John’s College, Cambridge as well and indicated that the current approach to developing therapies for fetal growth restriction emphasizes improving blood flow in the mother, but their findings suggest they might need to rethink this and perhaps they should focus more on enhancing maternal gut health.
She further indicated that it is well-established that a healthy gut, defined by the diversity of microbes it contains, plays a crucial role in nutrient absorption and in defending against infections and diseases.
The research was conducted on mice, which made it possible to examine the effects of Bifidobacterium breve under conditions that wouldn’t be feasible with humans. In the mice, scientists were able to precisely control genetics, the presence of other microorganisms, and environmental factors. However, they believe the effects observed in mice are likely to be similar in humans.
The team now plans to extend their research by studying brain development in offspring after birth and exploring how Bifidobacterium breve interacts with other gut bacteria in more natural conditions.
Earlier studies by the same group revealed that administering Bifidobacterium breve to pregnant mice enhances both the structure and function of the placenta. This, in turn, improves the delivery of glucose and other nutrients to the fetus, supporting better fetal growth.
Professor Lindsay Hall from the University of Birmingham, who is a co-researcher for the study indicated that while more research is required to determine how these findings apply to humans, this groundbreaking discovery could lead to future clinical trials investigating the vital role of the maternal microbiome in promoting healthy brain development during pregnancy.
Although it’s widely recognized that a mother’s health is crucial for her baby’s well-being, the influence of her gut bacteria on the baby’s development has been largely overlooked.
