高藤Talk｜当生物学遇见心理学：一场关于“情绪分子”的肠道冒险

2026-04-17 09:47发布于上海

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高藤TALK CTB 特辑

当我们习惯把情绪归因于“大脑”，一个常被忽略的事实是——决定快乐的关键分子「血清素」，90%其实来自肠道。如果情绪的“起点”不在大脑，而在肠道，我们是否可以从源头重新理解，甚至改写它的发生方式？

When we habitually attribute emotions to the "brain," an often-overlooked fact is that 90% of the key happiness molecule—serotonin—actually comes from the gut. If the "starting point" of emotions is not in the brain but in the gut, can we fundamentally re-understand, or even rewrite, the way emotions arise from their very source?

本期高藤Talk，三位即将启程前往哈佛大学参加CTB全球总决赛的同学——Jenny、Yvonne、Harry，首次分享他们的研究故事：一场关于“肠道—情绪”的科学探索，正在展开。

In this episode of SMCS Talk, three students—Jenny, Yvonne, and Harry—who are about to depart for the CTB Global Finals at Harvard University, share their research story for the first time: a scientific exploration of the "gut-emotion" connection is now unfolding.

Jenny从一个看似简单却颠覆性的事实切入——长期以来，抗抑郁治疗围绕大脑展开，但现实却是：

大量患者仍在与抑郁抗争，而现有药物存在起效慢、副作用明显、个体差异大的问题。

图片来源于高藤CTB团队

他们将目光转向“肠脑轴”：一个连接肠道与大脑的隐形通路，也被称为“第二大脑”。

这一刻，问题被重新定义——

从“如何调节大脑”，

转向“如何重建系统”。

但这并不是终点，而是起点。当研究视角被改变，团队进一步追问：

如果肠道才是关键入口，我们是否可以更主动地“设计”这个系统，让情绪调节从被动治疗走向主动干预？

也正是在这样的思考之下，他们迈向下一步——不再只是理解机制，而是尝试介入机制本身。

Jenny starts with a seemingly simple yet disruptive fact:

for a long time, antidepressant treatments have revolved around the brain. Yet the reality is that a large number of patients are still struggling with depression, while existing medications suffer from slow onset, significant side effects, and high individual variability.

Image source: SMCS CTB team

They turned their attention to the "gut-brain axis": an invisible pathway connecting the gut and the brain, also known as the "second brain."

At that moment, the problem was redefined—

shifting from "how to regulate the brain" to

"how to rebuild the system."

But this was not the end; it was only the beginning. Once their research perspective shifted, the team pressed further:

If the gut is indeed the key entry point, can we more actively "design" this system, transforming emotional regulation from passive treatment to proactive intervention?

It was under this line of thinking that they took the next step—moving beyond merely understanding the mechanism to attempting to intervene in the mechanism itself.

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面对肠道菌群与抑郁的强关联，团队发现已有研究虽尝试用益生菌或粪便移植进行干预，但仍存在局限——

天然菌株产5-羟色胺效率低、稳定性不足，难以实现持续作用。

Yvonne分享了他们的解题路径：

不止于“使用菌群”，而是进一步思考——能否“改造菌群”？

于是，他们用合成生物学为益生菌装上“生产引擎”。通过引入关键酶基因（TPH1与TDC），成功构建出工程化益生菌，实现更高效、稳定的血清素合成。

图片来源于高藤CTB团队

从基因构建到功能验证，整个研究被拆解为清晰步骤逐步推进——不再只是设想，而是一条可验证、可复现的科学路径。

Faced with the strong correlation between gut microbiota and depression, the team found that while existing studies have attempted interventions using probiotics or fecal microbiota transplantation, limitations remain—

natural strains have low serotonin production efficiency and insufficient stability, making sustained effects difficult to achieve.

Yvonne shared their problem-solving path:

not just "using microbiota," but thinking further—can we "engineer the microbiota"?

Thus, they used synthetic biology to equip probiotics with a "production engine." By introducing key enzyme genes (TPH1 and TDC), they successfully constructed engineered probiotics capable of more efficient and stable serotonin synthesis.

Image source: SMCS CTB team

From gene construction to functional validation, the entire research was broken down into clear, step-by-step processes—no longer just a concept, but a verifiable and reproducible scientific path.

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真正让一个研究成立的，是结果。

Harry介绍了实验最关键的一步——动物模型验证。

图片来源于高藤CTB团队

在小鼠实验中，团队通过“慢性不可预知应激模型”（CUMS）模拟抑郁状态，并通过经典的尾悬实验（TST）评估行为变化。

结果显示：

接受工程化益生菌的小鼠，其“静止时间”显著降低——这意味着抑郁样行为得到明显缓解。
同时，qPCR检测也证实，这些被改造的益生菌能够在肠道中成功定植，形成稳定作用路径。

What truly validates research are the results.

Harry introduced the most critical step of the experiment—animal model validation.

Image source: SMCS CTB team

In mouse experiments, the team used the Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) model to simulate a depressive state and assessed behavioral changes using the classic Tail Suspension Test (TST).

The results showed:

Mice receiving the engineered probiotics exhibited a significant reduction in "immobility time"—indicating a marked alleviation of depression-like behavior.

Moreover, qPCR testing confirmed that these engineered probiotics successfully colonized the gut, establishing a stable pathway of action.

在互动环节中，同学们深受启发，不再只是理解团队成果，也开始主动思考——这项成果在未来，是否能够带来更优的抑郁症预防路径？

有人聚焦研究本身，提出其中仍待优化的环节，并尝试推演更完善的解决方案；

也有人跳出实验框架，从更多维度出发，思考预防抑郁的多元路径与可能性。

从生物医学到个体经验，不同视角在现场交汇，让“预防抑郁症”这一议题不再抽象，而变得更加立体、具体且与每个人息息相关。

本期高藤Talk中，

CTB团队的分享不仅是

一段科研实践的呈现，

更让一个横跨生物学、医学

与社会认知的复杂问题，

被更多人看见、理解，

并愿意主动走近与思考。

从探路者课程到CTB舞台，他们的探索路径也让我们看到一条清晰的成长轨迹：

当学习不止于知识的获取，

而是走向真实问题的提出与回应，

年轻人同样可以用科学与创新，

参与到世界议题的解答之中。

During the interactive session, students were deeply inspired. They not only understood the team's findings but also began actively thinking—could this outcome lead to better depression prevention strategies in the future?

Some focused on the research itself, pointing out aspects still needing optimization and attempting to deduce more refined solutions.

Others stepped outside the experimental framework, considering diverse pathways and possibilities for depression prevention from multiple dimensions.

From biomedical science to individual experience, different perspectives converged on the spot, making the issue of "depression prevention" no longer abstract, but more tangible, concrete, and relevant to everyone.

In this episode of SMCS Talk,

the CTB team's presentation was not

just a showcase of

scientific research practice,

but also brought a complex issue

spanning biology, medicine,

and social cognition—

to be seen, understood, and

willingly approached and

pondered by more people.

From the Pathfinder Program to the CTB stage, their journey also reveals a clear trajectory of growth:

when learning goes beyond knowledge acquisition

and moves toward

posing and responding to

real-world problems,

young people can

indeed engage with and help solve global issues

through science and innovation.

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感谢CTB团队同学的精彩分享，也祝愿他们在哈佛CTB全球总决赛中继续闪耀。

Thank you to the CTB team members for their wonderful presentation, and we wish them continued brilliance at the CTB Global Finals at Harvard.

期待下一期高藤Talk，更多年轻的探索，在此被看见。

Looking forward to the next episode of SMCS Talk, where more youthful explorations will be seen.

(源内容均来源于高藤CTB团队及高藤Talk现场观众）

撰文及排版编辑：新媒体部
拍摄：新媒体部

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