Relationship between depression and gastrointestinal bacteria

Gastrointestinal bacteria can affect mental health and be associated with depression, as demonstrated by a large-scale study. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 300 million people suffer from depression and there are known links between the physical and mental health of the patient.

Belgian researchers believe that a large group of bacteria in the digestive system can produce chemicals that significantly affect the brain, such as microorganisms associated negatively or positively with mental health.

The experiment, dubbed the Flemish Ghat Flora Project, studied samples of depression and stool in more than 1,000 people and concluded that two types of bacteria were found in a permanent form in people taking drugs to treat the condition. depression.

The study, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, indicates that the study could be controversial because they still need to understand how the digestive system binds to the brain.

"The idea of ​​the interaction between microbial receptors and our brain, and therefore our behavior and our emotions, is interesting," said the researcher at the University of Leuven, Belgium. "Until now, most studies have been conducted on a small scale of people with

Mixed results ".

The researcher pointed out that, while there is a clear relationship between the levels of certain types of bacteria in the digestive system and the mental health of the person, this does not mean that the two things are related. Coprookocos and Dealster germs are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.

"We also know that neuropathy plays an important role in depression," said Rice. Our hypothesis is that the two things are linked in a certain way. "