Intestinal microbes may be linked to depression

The human intestine contains billions of bacteria that form the gut microbiome or microbiota. New research has established a link between the composition of this intestinal microbiome and depressive disorder. The study entitled "The Neuroactive Potential of Human Gut Microbiota in Quality of Life and Depression" was published this week in the latest issue of Nature Microbiology.

The intestinal microbes Coprococcus and Dialister are significantly lower in those with depression, 3D illustration. Image credit: Kateryna Kon

The study led by Dr. Valles-Colomer used DNA sequencing to examine the composition of microbes in the gut. They badyzed the gut microbiota of more than 1,000 people from their faecal samples. The participants were part of the Flemish project Gut Flora in Belgium. The team then linked the participants' microbiome composition with quality of life and other factors. They used a diagnosis of depression self-reported and provided by the physician among the participants and badociated with the microbial table of the intestine. The data was then validated from another cohort of 1,063 participants in the LifeLines DEEP project in the Netherlands. The final results of all the data collected were used to relate the microbiome of the intestine and the functions of the central nervous system.

Principal investigator Jeroen Raes, of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology of the Flemish Institute of Biotechnology and the Catholic University of Louvain, said: "The notion that microbial metabolites can interact with our brain – and therefore behavior and feelings – is intriguing … Until now, most studies were performed in mice or humans, with contradictory and contradictory results. "

The results revealed that the presence of two groups of bacteria, Coprocoque and Dialister were significantly lower in people with depression. These two groups of bacteria have anti-inflammatory properties. Raes said, "We also know that neuroinflammation is important in depression. So, our hypothesis is that in one way or another these two are related.

They noted that the intestinal microbiome had indeed played a role in the breakdown of the metabolic product of the neurotransmitter Dopamine. This product is called 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. This is one of the strongest evidence linking the intestinal microbiome to the functioning of the human brain, according to the researchers. Although they agree that only a correlation has been found and not a cause-and-effect relationship. More research is needed to reach the conclusions they add.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 300 million people are diagnosed as depressed in the world. If a link between the gut microbiome and depression could be established, new avenues for treatment and management could pave the way for experts. Raes said, "This paves the way for treatments for depression. One option is innovative, new generation probiotics. I really think that there is a future in this: use badtails of human-made bacteria as a treatment? – insects as drugs, as they say.