Professor Carding (Head of Gut Microbes and Health Research Programme, Quadram Institute, Norwich) gives an insight into the human microbiome and its role in the mechanisms underpinning neurological diagnoses. This lecture focusses on Professor Carding’s work on dementia, but also explains how his research is highly applicable to all areas of neurodevelopment.
He also describes new research trials involving faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) and the future of a more personalised approach to medicine. The microbiome is one of the main foci of The Synapse Centre including developing a better understanding its part in brain development and behaviour. The microbiome’s role on gut permeability, immune dysregulation, abnormal metabolism is only starting to be understood, but may underpin a variety of different neurodevelopmental disorders.