Recently, a number of studies have demonstrated the profound relationship between gut microbiota alterations and behavioural changes. Glyphosate-based herbicides have been shown to induce behavioural impairments, and it is possible that they mediate the effects through an altered gut flora.

This was investigated in a recent study; researchers examined the toxic effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on gut microflora and its subsequent effects on the neuro-behavioural functions in mice following acute, sub-chronic and chronic exposure to herbicides.

Results showed that sub-chronic and chronic exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides induced an increase of anxiety and depression-like behaviours. In addition, glyphosate-based herbicides significantly altered the gut microflora composition in terms of relative abundance and phylogenic diversity of the key microbes. In fact, it decreased more specifically, Corynebacterium, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Lactobacillus in mice exposed to glyphosate-based herbicides.

This data highlights how glyphosate-based herbicides can detrimentally affect gut flora, potentially causing intestinal dysbiosis and contributing to the increasing prevalence of neuro-behavioural disorders seen today.

SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR PATIENTS

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Reference: Aitbali Y, Ba-M’hamed S, Elhidar N, Nafis A, Soraa N, Bennis M. Glyphosate based-herbicide exposure affects gut microbiota, anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mice. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2018;67:44-49.

Weblink: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29635013