Dr. Jatin Nagpal states, "We are trying to see what causal mechanisms are at play in the way the microbiome - or collection of microbes - can influence neurocircuits in the brain responsible for stress and other behaviours. In the last 15 to 20 years, we have begun to appreciate that these microbes are not just bystanders." This highlights the importance of understanding how gut microbes might affect brain functioning and behavioral responses.
Dr. Nagpal explains the advantages of using zebrafish, noting that "the zebrafish has a lot of genetic similarities to humans, and exhibits behaviours we have seen in a number of disease conditions. As they develop externally from a very young age, we can control the environment in which they start to grow and we can see what is happening in real time." This underscores the thought behind their experimental design.
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