Part 1: What I found most interesting about this class so far is the effect microbes have on diseases previously not thought to be involved with infection. Such diseases include cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity. Topics we have not yet covered but I anticipate we will cover based on the introductory videos from week one include allergies, autoimmunity, and mental health. Even though I briefly learned about this a long time ago, I’m still somewhat surprised to know that there’s an emerging body of evidence to show that cardiovascular health is linked to dental hygiene; something that seemed completely unrelated for a long time. Briefly dabbing into week 7 content, I am looking forward to learning about how our microbiome interacts with and affects our immune system, particularly in the case of autoimmunity. We’re teeming with microbes, I wonder how much of our health really is their doing rather than innate errors of the body.
Part 2: Mental health. I have heard of Toxoplasma Gondii infecting a large number of people around the globe. I’ve done a fair amount of research because this parasite is fascinating to me. It’s interesting because although it was previously thought to be asymptomatic in immunologically healthy people, but new evidence suggests it affects our brains in similar fashion to mice, being correlated with mental disorders such as depression, neuroticism, and schizophrenia. There’s also evidence of our gut microbes having influence on our mental health and food choices, especially since most of the body’s serotonin is stored in the intestines. As someone who deals with mental health issues, I want to be able to understand more about what is happening to the brain under the influence of our microbiome. If more evidence can show relations between microbes and brain function, then better treatments can be made available. Not to mention that perhaps diet can influence mental health and the microbiome is in the middle of this connection.
Reflection: I’ll prepare for my paper by researching more information on how our microbiome can influence our mental health, along with overall brain function. I’m excited to see what I’ll learn.
