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Who would have thought it? Our microbiota could influence our motivation and performance.

When we are born, another birth takes place at the same: that of our gut microbiota. Also known as the “intestinal flora”, this microbial ecosystem, with which we live in symbiosis, comprises no fewer than 40,000 billion bacteria and other microorganisms that populate our gastrointestinal tract, particularly our large bowel. Over the last fifteen years or so, scientists have been able to study this ecosystem more closely and gain a better understanding of it. And they all agree on one point: there is a strong link between our general health and our gut microbiota.

Pollution can be caused by a variety of activities: industry, agriculture, transport, human activity, household waste, etc. No matter where you are, there are always some traces of pollution. Although air quality is the most cross-cutting issue when it comes to pollution, it is important not to focus too narrowly, because human health and the environment are inextricably linked. That’s what Jacques Patris, Chairman of ATMO Hauts-de-France, explains in an interview.

The use of psychoactive substances, whether these are legal (tobacco, alcohol, anti-anxiety medications, hypnotic medications, opioid-based medications) or illegal (cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, new synthetic drugs, etc.), or screen-based behaviours (social networking, online sexual activities, gambling, video games, shopping) follows a gradual path from simple use to excessive or problematic use to addiction (also known as dependence).