The 4E approach to the human microbiome: Nested interactions between the gut-brain/body system within natural and built environments.
BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology June 1, 2022 Ismael Palacios-García, Gwynne A Mhuireach, Aitana Grasso-Cladera et al. 13 citations
Human cognition depends not only on brain processes but also on bodily and environmental factors, a view known as the 4E perspective (embodied, embedded, enacted, extended). The human microbiome—the community of microorganisms living in and on the body—is a key mediator of this interaction, influencing brain function and mental health across a person's lifetime. This theoretical review presents a 4E approach to the microbiome, arguing that microbial networks from the gut, skin, and built environments shape mental processes. The authors review evidence for this framework and outline future research and clinical interventions that integrate biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, particularly targeting the brain-gut-microbiome axis for low-cost, personalized mental health treatments.