Early use of antibiotics may change brain development
The laboratory study suggests that penicillin changes the microbiome—the trillions of beneficial microorganisms that live in and on our bodies—as well as gene expression, which allows cells to respond to its changing environment, in key areas of the developing brain. The findings suggest reducing widespread antibiotic use or using alternatives when possible to prevent neurodevelopment problems. Antibiotic exposure early in life could alter human brain development in areas responsible for cognitive and emotional functions, according to a new study with mice.
Source: futurity.org