Figure 2. Influences on the gut microbiota/brain axis in the perinatal period.

Multiple factors affecting the maternal gut microbiota can influence brain development in utero via microbial metabolites, drug-derived chemical metabolites, and inflammatory changes. Postnatally, the newborn’s microbiota is strongly influenced by the maternal vaginal or skin-derived microbiota (depending on the mode of delivery) during birth and by various nutritional factors (breast vs. infant formula feeding). Modified with permission from Trends in Molecular Medicine (139).