Figure 2.

The developing gut microbiome and brain. Gut microbiota and brain development begins during the prenatal period and continues throughout adulthood, with the first 3 years of life representing a particularly important developmental period. Disruptions in development can influence communication between these 2 systems and may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders such as IBS, autism, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obesity. Modified from Borre et al.¹³⁵