Michel Neunlist
INSERM UMR 1235 ‘The Enteric
nervous system in gut and brain diseases’
Institut of Digestive
Diseases of University Hospital of Nantes
Title
Microbiota contribution to gut brain dysfunctions in neurodevelopmental diseases
Abstract
Over evolution, gut and brain have closely evolved together in order to accomplish fundamental tasks such as species survival and adaptation to their environment. Permanent and dynamic interactions between gut and brain, two neurological organs, set the basis for the gut-brain axis. Over the past years, the gut microbiota has been identified as a fine and profound regulator of the gut-brain axis. In particular, gut microbiota plays a central role in the development of gut nervous system as well as brain structures and ultimately organ functions, via the production of metabolites such as short chain fatty acids or bacterial cell wall components. Conversely, mounting evidences suggest that alterations of gut microbiota composition as well as microbiota metabolism could play a central role in the development of chronic diseases of the brain such as behavioral, neurodevelopemental and in neurodegenerative diseases. In this context, key functions of gut microbiota in gut brain axis development and neurodevelopemental diseases, in particular in autism spectrum disorders will be summarized in this talk.
Biosketch
Michel Neunlist received an Engineering Degree in Physics from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Physique of Strasbourg. He obtained a PhD in electrophysiology from the University of Strasbourg. He spent a 5 years research training period in the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine where he developped optical recording methods to measure cardiac activity. He next spen 5 years at the Veterenary School of Medecine in Hannover (Germany) where he trained in the field of enteric neurobiology. He joined in 2000 the Institut of Digestive Diseases of the University Hospital of Nantes where he developed a translational research program centred on the study of the role of the enteric nervous system in digestive and brain chronic diseases. He is currently the head of the Inserm Unit of TENS (The enteric nervous system in gut and brain disorders) composed of over 40 members.