The microbiota at the interface of environmental toxicants and the brain.

The gut microbiota is a central mediator between environmental neurotoxicants and neurological health, influencing exposure outcomes through microbial and host interactions.

• Why it matters: Understanding how microbiota-dependent processes affect toxicant responses is crucial because environmental neurotoxicants can impact both brain health and microbial composition, yet the mechanisms remain unclear.
• What they did: The review summarizes how disease-relevant neurotoxicants affect brain and microbial composition and explores mechanistic insights into microbiota-driven modulation of host detoxification and immune responses.
• The result: Findings suggest that microbiota-dependent processes can modify toxicant effects, positioning the gut microbiota as a key factor in neurological risk and providing a framework for future research.