Health & Mind

The Gut-Brain Highway

How the Trillions of Microbes in Your Gut Are Shaping Your Mood, Anxiety, and Mental Health

Mei Lin

Neurogastroenterologist at the University of California, San Diego, studying the gut-brain axis and the role of the microbiome in mental health.

March 20, 2026·10 min read

The Gut-Brain Highway

The gut microbiome — the community of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in your digestive tract — communicates directly with your brain through the vagus nerve, immune system, and hormonal pathways. Research is revealing that this gut-brain axis plays a profound role in mental health, with implications for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and autism.

TOPICS

gut microbiomemental healthneurosciencedietprobiotics

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