There is no “brain microbiome” in the sense of a resident microbial community present in the brains of healthy individuals. Instead, microbes enter such sterile tissues through the process of infection.
While the role of infections such as Lyme disease in eliciting neurological symptoms may be under-recognised, this is distinct from the idea of a resident microbial community in the brain.
Claims of up to 100,000 microbial species per sample in the brain are implausible. Contamination remains the most likely explanation for such findings (28 September, p 32).
From 6 years ago: "The brain microbiome hypothesis potentially stems from overinterpretation of the same molecular methods that led to suggestions of the placental microbiome, and highlights another potential consequence of not providing extraordinary evidence to back up an extraordinary claim."
I heard Alan give a talk about it and it had all the right bits. Plus I get to recall his intro which was something to the effect of “Ok this is gonna be a bit of bitchy rant…” which cracks me up every time I think about it.
And knowing Mark, there must be a draft where the original article is thoroughly roasted, and the writer as well (and deservedly so). That's the interesting one.
When I was a young postdoc, I once wrote the first draft of a rebuttal while thoroughly hungover. My boss laughed his head off, and said all the arguments were there, sharing the space with insults and personal attacks against anonymous reviewers.
I may have been mistaken - checking the “other place” I just see references to the fact a letter was submitted - not the content of the original letter.
Comments
There is no “brain microbiome” in the sense of a resident microbial community present in the brains of healthy individuals. Instead, microbes enter such sterile tissues through the process of infection.
My views were expressed in a less subtle way...
Wish I still had that version.
(I'm envious)