Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 3, 2025

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable
09:24

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable

Published on: May 17, 2024

1.8K

Infant Gut Microbiota Associated with Fine Motor Skills

Inmaculada Acuña1,2, Tomás Cerdó3, Alicia Ruiz4

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Campus of Cartuja, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.

Nutrients
|June 2, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Infant gut bacteria composition is linked to fine motor skills development. Specific bacterial groups, including probiotics like Bifidobacterium, were more abundant in infants with better fine motor abilities.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Neurodevelopmental biology
  • Pediatric health

Background:

  • Early life gut microbiome development is dynamic and coincides with brain maturation.
  • Potential cross-talk mechanisms between the gut and brain may influence infant behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between gut microbiota composition and neurodevelopmental outcomes in healthy infants.
  • To explore differences in gut microbial diversity, enterotypes, and specific taxa related to behavioral characteristics.

Main Methods:

  • 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to analyze the gut microbiota of 71 healthy infants at 18 months of age.
  • Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III.
  • Dirichlet multinomial mixture analysis was used to determine enterotypes.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in beta-diversity (weighted Unifrac) were observed in fine motor (FM) activity between infants.
  • Two distinct enterotypes were identified and strongly associated with FM outcomes.
  • Specific bacterial genera, including *Turicibacter* and *Parabacteroides*, were linked to lower FM performance, while others, including *Bifidobacterium* and *Lactobacillus*, were associated with higher FM performance, even after controlling for maternal BMI and breastfeeding duration.

Conclusions:

  • The study suggests a link between gut enterotypes, specific bacterial genera, and fine motor activity in infants.
  • These findings may indicate potential for probiotic interventions to support motor skill development and address motor disorders.
Abstract

Keywords:
fine motricitygut–brain axismicrobiotaneurodevelopmentprobiotics

More Related Videos

Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage10:36

Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage

Published on: January 27, 2019

20.1K
Video Imaging and Spatiotemporal Maps to Analyze Gastrointestinal Motility in Mice07:41

Video Imaging and Spatiotemporal Maps to Analyze Gastrointestinal Motility in Mice

Published on: February 3, 2016

14.4K

Related Concept Videos

Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
84.6K
Enteric Nervous System: Regulation of GI Motor Activity01:11

Enteric Nervous System: Regulation of GI Motor Activity

The Enteric Nervous System (ENS) plays a pivotal role in regulating gastrointestinal or GI motor activity. This complex network of nerves, deeply embedded within the gut wall, responds to changes in the gut environment and receives input from both the autonomic nervous system and the central nervous system. By doing so, the ENS operates various programs tailored to the body's nutritional status and needs.
During periods of fasting, the ENS initiates the migrating myoelectric complex, a...
1.1K
Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
214
Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development01:14

Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development

The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...
1.1K