Mind-altering with the gut: Modulation of the gut-brain axis with probiotics
This 2018 review explored the role of gut microbiota in bidirectional interactions between the gut and the brain, including neural, immune-mediated, and metabolic mechanisms. Recent preclinical and clinical trials revealed that gut microbiota plays an important role in the bidirectional interactions between the gastrointestinal tract, the enteric nervous system, and the central nervous system, which is alarming since alterations in gut microbiota composition may be associated with pathogenesis of various neurological disorders, including stress, autism, depression, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Kim et al. (2018) also highlighted recent advances in the understanding of probiotic modulation of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. [NPID: psychiatric illnesses, MGBA, gut-brain axis, gut microbiome, enteric nervous system, neurological disorders, stress, autism, depression, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease]
Year: 2018
Reference: Kim, N., Yun, M., Oh, Y. J., & Choi, H. J. (2018). Mind-altering with the gut: Modulation of the gut-brain axis with probiotics. Journal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea), 56(3), 172–182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-018-8032-4
Related Studies
Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis and Adolescent Depression Adolescent depression, affecting 13% of youths worldwide, presents a significant challenge, with 30–40% of affected individuals demonstrating resistance to conventional treatments. Recent research indicates that dysbiosis of the gut microbiome may play a critical role in the manifestation of core behavioral symptoms associated with depression, such as anhedonia and […]
In this cross-sectional study by Hernández-Cacho et al. (2025), participants from the PREDIMED-Plus trial (n = 400) were investigated for a potential gut–brain axis connection between gut microbiota and depression. Depression was identified by either the use of antidepressants or elevated scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Researchers analyzed gut microbiota using 16S rRNA sequencing […]