With the emergence of knowledge implicating the human gut microbiome in the development and regulation of several physiological systems, evidence has accumulated to suggest a role for the gut microbiome in psychiatric conditions and drug response. A complex relationship between the enteric nervous system, the gut microbiota and the central nervous system has been described which allows for the microbiota to influence and respond to a variety of behaviors and psychiatric conditions. Additionally, the use of pharmaceuticals may interact with and alter the microbiota to potentially contribute to adverse effects of the drug. The gut microbiota has been described in several psychiatric disorders including depression and anxiety, but only a few reports have discussed the role of the microbiome in schizophrenia. The following review examines the evidence surrounding the gut microbiota in behavior and psychiatric illness, the role of the microbiota in schizophrenia and the potential for antipsychotics to alter the gut microbiota and promote adverse metabolic events.

The discovery of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adults has sparked interest in its role as a therapeutic target in metabolic disorders. Infrared thermography is a promising way to quantify BAT; however, a standardized methodology has not been established. This study aims to establish a standardized and reproducible protocol to measure thermal response to cold in the supraclavicular area using thermographic imaging. In Phase 1, we compared the thermal response to 12 °C cold after acclimation at either 32 °C or room temperature using thermographic imaging. Repeatability of the 32 °C acclimation trial was studied in a second group in Phase 2. Phase 1 included 28 men (mean age 23.9 ± 5.9 y; mean BMI 25.2 ± 3.9 kg/m2) and Phase 2 included 14 men (mean age 20.9 ± 2.4 y; mean BMI 23.6 ± 3.1 kg/m2). The thermal response was greater after 32 °C than after room temperature acclimation (0.22 ± 0.19 vs 0.13 ± 0.17 °C, p = 0.05), was not related to outdoor temperature (r = −0.35, p = 0.07), did not correlate with supraclavicular fat (r = −0.26, p = 0.21) measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and was repeatable [ICC 0.69 (0.14–0.72)]. Acclimation at 32 °C followed by cold generates a reproducible change in supraclavicular skin temperature measurable by thermal imaging that may be indicative of BAT metabolic activity.

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