When the team first examined the
microbial composition of intestinal biopsies, they saw the bacterial
strains in the tumors and surrounding tissues of colon cancer patients differed from the bacterial
strains in the gut of
healthy individuals.
Indeed, scientists still aren't sure exactly which
microbial species are part of a
healthy microbiome, nor do they know whether certain bacterial
strains are absolutely vital to mental functioning, or whether the right balance is what's key.