Even though social ties are essential for the health and well-being of social animals like humans and other primates, there is growing evidence that the gut microbiome, through the so-called "gut-brain axis," is similarly vital for both our physical and mental wellbeing. Additionally, these bacteria can transmit interpersonally, for example by touch. So how does social connectedness translate into the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome? That’s the topic of a new study in Frontiers in Microbiology on rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta.
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