Ageing is a complex multifactorial process associated with a plethora of disorders, which contribute significantly to morbidity worldwide. One of the organs significantly affected by age is the gut. Age-dependent changes of the gut-associated microbiome have been linked to increased frailty and systemic inflammation. This change in microbial composition with age occurs in parallel with a decline in function of the gut immune system; however, it is not clear whether there is a causal link between the two. Here we report that the defective germinal centre reaction in Peyer’s patches of aged mice can be rescued by faecal transfers from younger adults into aged mice and by immunisations with cholera toxin, without affecting germinal centre reactions in peripheral lymph nodes. This demonstrates that the poor germinal centre reaction in aged animals is not irreversible, and that it is possible to improve this response in older individuals by providing appropriate stimuli.

Childbirth is a period of substantial rapid biological and psychological change and a wide range of psychotic disorders can occur ranging from mild 'baby blues' to severe episodes of psychotic illnesses. Puerperal psychosis is the most extreme form of postnatal psychosis, occurring in 1 in 1,000 births. In this study, we have used the pig as an animal model for human postnatal psychiatric illness. Our aim was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with maternal (infanticide) sow aggression. This is defined by sows attacking and killing their own newborn offspring, within 24 hr of birth. An affected sib pair whole genome linkage analysis was carried out with 80 microsatellite markers covering the 18 porcine autosomes and the X chromosome, with the aim of identifying chromosomal regions responsible for this abnormal behavior. Analysis was carried out using the non-parametric linkage test of Whittemore and Halpern, as implemented in the Merlin software. The results identified 4 QTL mapping on Sus scrofa chromosomes 2 (SSC2), 10 (SSC10), and X (SSCX). The peak regions of these QTL are syntenic to HSA 5q14.3-15, 1q32, Xpter-Xp2.1, and Xq2.4-Xqter, respectively. Several potential candidate genes lie in these regions in addition to relevant abnormal behavioral QTL, found in humans and rodents.

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Half of it is avoidable, and suitable cost effective interventions are available

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