Targeting gastrointestinal microbiota as new diagnostic and treatment options in Depression

Abstract

Background/Objective: Depression has been increasingly recognized as a prevalent public health problem. In order to improve the disease's diagnostic and treatment options, the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to depression pathogenesis must be further understood - a factor recently considered to be heavily influential is the composition of the intestinal microbiome. This narrative review aims to expose the current state of knowledge on the relationship between Gastrointestinal Microbiome and Depression and to outline the existing scientific evidence about the effects of probiotics, prebiotics and antibiotics supplementation in depression. Methods: Using PubMed as the database, a research was conducted targeting articles written in English about how Gastrointestinal Microbiome relates with Depression. Results: The gastrointestinal microbiome is capable of affecting the neuronal function through neurotransmitters, vitamins and neuroactive metabolites via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Recent studies have pointed out a noticeable difference in the intestinal microbiota composition of patients with depressive disorder. Additionally, clinical trials have demonstrated that the supplementation of probiotics containing specific bacteria may influence the body's response to stress and may regulate some depressive and anxiety symptoms in humans. However, some studies do not support this evidence, stating that probiotics do not influence psychiatric pathology in any way. Conclusion: Targeting microbiota composition as a diagnostic and treatment option in depression is an appealing possibility, however the knowledge available today is not enough to apply these principles with certainty in clinical practice. Future studies are necessary for it to become a fully approved reality in psychiatry.