There is a growing consensus that the gut microbiome is involved in many aspects of physical and mental health, including the onset of Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and even some behaviors. The microbiota of the small intestine in particular are likely to have important effects on human health because most nutrients and drugs are absorbed by the body in this location. To study the gut microbiome, researchers typically use mice and rats because these animals are easy to take care of, reproduce quickly, and have many biological similarities to humans. But there are significant differences between humans and these animals. One such difference—the propensity for laboratory rodents to eat their own feces—may have major implications for research related to the small-intestine microbiome.
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