Frühkindliches Mikrobiom: Diversität und Funktion als wichtiger Schlüssel für Gesundheit und Krankheit

In the first months of a child's life the human microbiome matures in interaction with the immune system and continuously increases in diversity. The human gut microbiome is involved in a large number of metabolic processes in the body and is an essential component for, e.g., the biosynthesis and modification of vitamins, hormones, neurotransmitters and the degradation of complex carbohydrates from the diet. Many studies have already shown that factors in early childhood, such as the birth, medication, diet or the environment, can have a direct impact on the development of the microbiome and influence its diversity and functionality. Epidemiological investigations from birth cohort studies revealed that initial perturbations in microbial maturation also correlate with pathological changes in later development and can increase the risk of allergic, metabolic or inflammatory diseases. Understanding early childhood microbiome development, such as the maturation of a functional organ could significantly improve our knowledge of disease pathogenesis and also point to therapeutic, diagnostic and preventive options.