The Second Brain

The ability of the microbiota of the gut to communicate with the brain and influence behaviour is an emerging topic of research.The enteric microbiota interacts with the host to form a relationship that governs homeostasis. Despite the unique enteric bacterial fingerprintof each individual there appears to be a certain balance that confers health benefits. A decrease in desirable bacteria therefore leads to a disturbed gastrointestinal, neuroendocrinal and immune relationship leading to a diseased condition. Studies are focussing on the impact of the microbiota on the host specially its effect on the brain.There are many studies which have demonstrated germ free mice displaying altered stress response, neurochemistry and anxiety in comparison to normal mice. Data obtained from such experiments show that modulation of enteric microbiota may be a useful strategy in stress related disorders, gastrointestinal disorders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory bowel disease

Effect of oestrogen on the incidence of drumsticks in the rabbit neutrophils.

Adult female rabbits were given daily intramuscular injections of 0.5 microgram of oestradiol diproprionate for four weeks. Weekly drum-stick counts were made from their blood smears and percent incidences of drum-sticks in the neutrophils was recorded. A highly significant increase in the drum-stick counts compared to the control animals was noted after one week's treatment with the oestrogen. Subsequent values after 2nd, 3rd and 4th week's treatment were not significantly different from values obtained from the corresponding untreated animals. It was concluded that oestrogen produces only an initial increase in the drumstick count and subsequent continued treatment neither increases nor decreases the drum-stick counts significantly.