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The effects of psychobiotics on the microbiota-gut-brain axis in early-life stress and neuropsychiatric disorders
This 2021 article reviews the currently available evidence on the role of psychobiotics in reducing depression-related outcomes, bringing attention to the gaps in knowledge and challenges involved in this area of research. Psychobiotics are believed to potentially modulate the bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. While causality has yet to be confirmed, an imbalance in gut bacterial diversity has been associated with several diseases including neuropsychiatric disorders. Psychobiotics may have a role in earlier interventions especially, since the microbiota and the central nervous system are co-developing during these first years of life. They have demonstrated their ability to reverse the spread of stress during the developmental period in animal-based studies. Moreover, they have reduced behavioral symptoms related to depression and anxiety in these young animals later on in life. There is limited clinical evidence on the efficacy of these psychobiotics but there are studies available that involve major depressive disorder. Psychobiotics seem to positively influence depression-related outcomes in adults. Yet, the specific mechanisms are not known. Future clinical studies may look at whether psychobiotics can reduce the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in vulnerable individuals. However, several difficulties lie in terms of target population and study design. While the impact of stress on the development of the microbiota-gut-brain axis during the first year of life is becoming increasingly recognized, we are yet to find out the consequential effects after early-life stress. [NPID: psychobiotics, gut microbiota, gut brain, depression, neuropsychiatric disorders, gut bacteria, gut microbes, gut microbiota, gut microbiome]
Year: 2021
