Your neurobiome is the community of gut microbes that helps shape how you feel — the trillions of bacteria in your gut that communicate with your brain through the gut–brain axis. It is not a separate organ from your gut microbiome; it is your microbiome seen through one lens: the organisms that influence mood, calm, focus and sleep. At Flore we use neurobiome to name this gut–brain community, and neurobiotics for probiotics built from your own gut data to support how you feel day to day. Below is what the neurobiome is, how your gut talks to your brain, and — honestly — where the science is settled versus where it is still emerging.
What is the neurobiome?
The neurobiome is the part of your gut microbiome that participates in the conversation between your gut and your brain. Your gut is home to trillions of microbes; a subset of them produce and respond to the same chemical signals your nervous system uses. Flore uses “neurobiome” as a plain-language name for that gut–brain community so people can talk about the gut–mood connection without a biology degree.
To be clear about what this term is: neurobiome is emerging language, not an established medical category. The underlying biology — the microbiome–gut–brain axis — is real and actively researched. Flore is pioneering “neurobiome” as a consumer-facing way to name it.
Neurobiome vs. microbiome: what’s the difference?
Your microbiome is every microbe living in and on your body — most of them in your gut — involved in digestion, immunity, metabolism and more. Your neurobiome is the same gut community viewed for one job: the organisms and metabolites that influence the gut–brain axis. Think of it as a chapter within the larger book of your microbiome. If you already know the word “microbiome,” you already understand the neurobiome — it is the mood-and-mind slice of it.
How does your gut talk to your brain?
The gut–brain axis is a two-way communication network that links the central nervous system with the enteric nervous system — the gut’s own dense web of neurons.[1] A major channel in that network is the vagus nerve, which carries signals from the gut environment up to the brain.[1]
Your gut microbes take part in this conversation. Research shows microbes can influence the nervous system by producing molecules that act as neurotransmitters — including GABA, serotonin, melatonin, histamine and acetylcholine.[1] Serotonin is a striking example of how gut-centred this chemistry is: about 95% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the intestine.[2] Because of connections like these, the gut microbiota is understood to influence mood, cognition and mental well-being through the gut–brain axis.[3]
What are neurobiotics?
Neurobiotics is Flore’s people-first name for probiotics chosen for the gut–brain axis — ideally built from your own gut data rather than guessed at. The word itself is new to science: it was introduced in 2022 in Neural Regeneration Research as a concept for microbiota-targeted approaches, and Flore is adapting it into an everyday consumer category for mood, calm, focus and sleep.[4]
The established scientific lineage here is psychobiotics — a term for probiotics studied for mental well-being that has anchored hundreds of papers.[3] We keep “psychobiotics” alongside “neurobiotics” on purpose: psychobiotics is the peer-reviewed anchor; neurobiotics is our clearer, people-first evolution of it. You can read our deeper explainer on psychobiotics and the gut–brain axis.
Is the neurobiome the same as psychobiotics?
They’re close cousins. Psychobiotics names the probiotics studied for mood; the neurobiome names the community in your gut that those probiotics act on. One is the tool, the other is the terrain. Flore’s bet is that “neurobiome” and “neurobiotics” are simpler, more human ways to talk about the same science — which is why we’re defining the category rather than waiting for it.
Can you test your neurobiome?
Yes — and there’s a natural path to it, one step at a time. The easiest first step is to feel the gut–brain connection: try a single-strain neurobiotic like The Bright One (mood) or The Calm One (calm and focus) for $49. When you want to know your own neurobiome instead of guessing, you ascend to the Neurobiome Test — our at-home microbiome test read with the gut–brain axis in focus. It gives you a personal gut–brain report, then Flore builds a personalized formula from your data. The Neurobiome Test is delivered through Flore’s Test-to-Treat program ($658.50 with the at-home test included, or $564 if you bring your own results).
Important: your neurobiome results are a wellness insight into your gut–brain microbiome. They are not a medical or diagnostic test, and they do not diagnose anxiety, depression, autism, ADHD, or any condition.
What does the science actually show — and what it doesn’t
The gut–brain axis is established, active science: the wiring (vagus nerve, enteric nervous system), the chemistry (microbial neurotransmitters), and the association between gut microbes and mood are all documented in peer-reviewed literature.[1][3] What is still emerging is the leap from “the gut influences the brain” to “this specific probiotic reliably changes how a specific person feels.” Researchers describe this field as promising but early. So we talk about neurobiotics as everyday support for mood, calm, focus and sleep — a structure-and-function idea — not as a treatment or cure for any disease. That honesty is the point: Flore is pioneering this category on top of real science, not overselling it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the neurobiome in simple terms?
It’s the community of gut microbes that helps influence how you feel — the mood-and-mind slice of your gut microbiome that communicates with your brain through the gut–brain axis.
Is the neurobiome a real, proven thing?
The biology it rests on — the microbiome–gut–brain axis — is real, established research.[1] The word “neurobiome” itself is emerging, people-first language that Flore is pioneering to name that biology.
How do gut bacteria affect the brain?
Through the gut–brain axis: microbes produce molecules that act as neurotransmitters (such as GABA and serotonin), and signals travel to the brain along pathways including the vagus nerve.[1] About 95% of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut.[2]
What’s the difference between neurobiotics and psychobiotics?
They describe nearly the same thing. Psychobiotics is the established scientific term for probiotics studied for mental well-being; neurobiotics is Flore’s people-first category term. We keep both.
Can I test my neurobiome?
Yes — the Flore Neurobiome Test reads your at-home microbiome sample with the gut–brain axis in focus and matches you to a next step. It’s a wellness insight, not a diagnosis.
Can the neurobiome or neurobiotics treat anxiety or depression?
No. Neurobiotics are for everyday support of mood, calm, focus and sleep. They are not a treatment or cure for anxiety, depression, or any medical condition, and Flore’s results are not a diagnosis. If you’re dealing with a mental-health condition, talk to a licensed clinician.
Start with your neurobiome
Curious what your gut–brain community looks like? Start small — try The Bright One or The Calm One ($49) to feel the gut–brain connection. Then, when you’re ready to know your own neurobiome, ascend to the Neurobiome Test, delivered through Flore’s Test-to-Treat program ($658.50 test-included / $564 bring-your-own-test).
Sources
- Carabotti M, Scirocco A, Maselli MA, Severi C. The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Annals of Gastroenterology, 2015. PMC4367209
- Serotonergic Mechanisms Regulating the GI Tract: Experimental Evidence and Therapeutic Relevance. PMC5526216 — “95% of the body’s serotonin… is produced in the intestine.”
- The Gut-Brain Axis: Influence of Microbiota on Mood and Mental Health. Integrative Medicine, 2018. PMC6469458
- Herrera-Rincon C, Murciano-Brea J, Geuna S. Can we promote neural regeneration through microbiota-targeted strategies? Introducing the new concept of neurobiotics. Neural Regeneration Research, 2022. PMC8848601
Not sure where to start with your gut?
Ask the Flore Microbiome Concierge — a guided, personalized walkthrough of testing, your results, and a formula matched to your goals.
Talk to the Concierge →Explore the science of the neurobiome →
Go deeper on GoodOnes: The Neurobiome Handbook: How Your Gut Runs Your Brain — GoodOnes™ →