09.01.2026
Wenn Darmbakterien zusammenarbeiten: Neue Einblicke in das funktionelle Mikrobiom
Scientists from the Research Center Borstel and the University of Belgrade (Serbia) have conducted a pilot study showing that daily intake of a probiotic supplement may improve behavioural symptoms in children with Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. The study, published in Scientific Reports, reveals that probiotics - beneficial bacteria commonly taken to support gut health - may do more than simply add “good microbes” to the intestine. Instead, they appear to strengthen how gut microbes work together, a functional property increasingly recognized as important for overall health.
Using advanced metagenomic analysis, the team at the Research Center Borstel examined how a 12-week probiotic regimen shaped the gut microbiome. Their findings showed a notable increase in microbial interactions, indicating that the gut ecosystem became more coordinated and functionally integrated after probiotic intake. These changes in microbial network organization occurred alongside measurable improvements in the children’s behavioural symptoms.
“These results suggest that it’s not only the individual microbes that matter, but also the way they communicate and form networks,” said Prof. Matthias Merker.
As part of the wider research effort at the Research Center Borstel, scientists apply multi-omics technologies, metabolic profiling, and network analysis to understand the “functional microbiome” and its impact on health and disease across organ systems.
“Our work shows how insights from probiotic interventions in neurodevelopment may also translate into other areas, including respiratory health,” added Prof. Merker. “A deeper understanding of microbial networks in the gut could eventually open new avenues for targeted interventions in lung diseases as well.”
The study highlights microbial network remodeling as a promising, yet still underexplored, mechanism for future microbiome-modulating therapies.
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Publication:
Protic, D., Bascarevic, D., Dimitrijevic, S. et al. Microbiome modulation and behavioural improvements in children with fragile X syndrome following probiotic intake: A pilot study. Sci Rep 16, 560 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-29896-1