Gut microbiota composition links to variation in functional domains across psychiatric disorders

Alterations in the microbial composition are seen in various psychiatric disorders, but their connection to specific symptoms or processes is not well understood. This study by Mulder et al. (2024) examines the links between gut microbiota composition and the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) domains that represent different symptom areas concerning stress-related and neurodevelopmental disorders in individuals with and without psychiatric comorbidities, in particular, how gut microbiota affects mood disorders like anxiety and depression, neurodegenerative illnesses like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. The gut microbiota of 369 participants was analyzed, including 272 individuals diagnosed with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and/or substance use disorders, along with 97 psychiatrically unaffected individuals. Arousal/regulatory systems, social processes, cognitive systems, and the negative valence of RDoC were shown to be the four functional domains of interest. The authors identified eight microbial genera with substantial associations to domains of concern, namely: cognitive systems (Sporobacter and Hungatella); social processes (Sellimonas); negative valence (Sellimonas, CHKCI001, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Oscillibacter, and Flavonifractor); and arousal/regulatory systems (Ruminococcus torques). The findings show that gut microbiota is associated with functional domains across both patients and unaffected individuals, potentially influenced by immune-related processes. These results suggest the potential for microbiota-based personalized interventions, especially considering psychiatric comorbidity. To understand the underlying processes and validate causation, additional study is necessary. [NPID: Gut microbiota, psychiatric disorders, cognitive systems, microbial genera, immune-related processes, personalized interventions]

Year: 2024

Reference: Mulder, D., Jakobi, B., Shi, Y., Mulders, P., Kist, J. D., Collard, R. M., Vrijsen, J. N., van Eijndhoven, P., Tendolkar, I., Bloemendaal, M., & Arias Vasquez, A. (2024). Gut microbiota composition links to variation in functional domains across psychiatric disorders. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 120, 275–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.037

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