Research Goal

Recently, there has been emerging evidence of an association between the bacteria living in the human gut (gut microbiome) and the brain; several studies demonstrated that the composition of the microbiome and its metabolism have an important influence on the development of mental disorders and on weight regulation disorders such as obesity. In anorexia nervosa (AN), fasting (“semi-starvation”) induces severe perturbations of the gut microbiome, which are not alleviated with weight gain. The interactions of an altered microbiome with other body systems in AN are illustrated below:

Our overarching aim is to improve the course of this disabling disorder by improving the patients´ gut bacteria.