Researchers from Sorbonne University’s Paris Brain Research Institute and the University of Bonn have uncovered fascinating insights into the influence of gut bacteria on decision-making in a social situation. The study, published in the scientific journal PNAS Nexus, used an ultimatum game to examine how microbiota-affecting supplements can impact our decision-making abilities.
The ultimatum game involves two players sharing a sum of money, with one player proposing how to divide it and the other player accepting or rejecting the proposal. The study found that participants who received a microbiome-affecting supplement made different choices during the second round of the experiment than those who did not receive any treatment. Specifically, those who took the supplement were more sensitive to slight unfairness in distribution decisions.
Furthermore, the researchers discovered that changes in behavior were linked to alterations in bacterial strains within participants’ gut microbiomes. Subjects with greater imbalances in their bacterial strains showed more significant changes in behavior after taking the nutritional supplement course than others. Additionally, levels of tyrosine, a precursor to dopamine, decreased significantly after taking the supplement course. This change could potentially influence behavior observed in subjects.
While more research is needed to definitively confirm this connection between gut bacteria and decision-making abilities, these findings provide important clues about how modifying our gut microbiomes may positively impact our choices and judgments. The possibility of using dietary interventions to improve decision-making is intriguing and requires further exploration.
The link between gut health and various diseases and disorders such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease has been well documented by previous studies, making this area of research increasingly relevant for understanding complex human behaviors.
