Gut microbiota & Social behavior

Using regression models to control for possible confounding factors, the abundances of specific bacterial genera are significantly predicted by personality traits. Additionally, diversity analyses reveal that people with more extensive social networks and interactions tend to have a more diverse microbiome, suggesting that social interactions may shape the microbial community of the human gut. In contrast, anxiety and stress are linked to reduced diversity and altered microbiome composition.

Johnson 2020 Hum Microb J doi: 10.1016/j.humic.2019.100069

Microbes influence a wide range of host social behaviors and vice versa
Pasquaretta et al. 2018 Genes 9: 534

The gut microbiota may have considerable consequences on host social interactions by acting upon the nutritional behavior of individual animals
Pasquaret…