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Why microbes, not microbiomes, are better causal explanations in gut-brain research
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 July 2019
Abstract
Much microbiota-gut-brain research focuses on the causal role of microbiomes as a whole, rather than their component parts: microbes. Hooks et al. find these whole-community explanations inadequate; however, they do not provide suggestions for better explanations. By appealing to proportionality – a criterion that can be used to develop more appropriate causal explanations – more accurate causal claims can be made.
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- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019
References
Arnold, J. W., Roach, J. & Azcarate-Peril, M. A. (2016) Emerging technologies for gut microbiome research. Trends in Microbiology 24(11):887–901.Google Scholar
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Kristensen, N. B., Bryrup, T., Allin, K. H., Nielsen, T., Hansen, T. H. & Pedersen, O. (2016) Alterations in fecal microbiota composition by probiotic supplementation in healthy adults: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Genome Medicine 8(1):52. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13073-016-0300-5.Google Scholar
Woodward, J. (2010) Causation in biology: stability, specificity, and the choice of levels of explanation. Biology & Philosophy 25(3):287–318.Google Scholar
Target article
Microbiota-gut-brain research: A critical analysis
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Author response
Causal clarity and deeper dimensions in microbiota-gut-brain research