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Alcohol, microbiome, and their effect on psychiatric disorders
Thomas Hillemacher1, Oliver Bachmann2, Kai G Kahl3
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University Nuremberg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry, and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Germany.
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
|April 30, 2018
Summary
Alcohol consumption and withdrawal trigger neuroinflammation and alter the gut microbiome. These microbiome changes may contribute to psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety, impacting brain function and behavior.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Alcohol consumption and withdrawal are linked to increased neuroinflammation.
- The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the brain-gut axis, influencing neurochemistry and behavior.
- Disruptions in the microbiome-brain communication are implicated in various psychiatric disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of the gut microbiome in alcohol-induced neuroinflammation and psychiatric symptoms.
- To investigate how alcohol-related dysbiosis affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and host homeostasis.
- To understand the potential link between microbiome alterations and conditions such as alcoholism, depression, and anxiety.
Main Methods:
- Review of accumulating evidence on alcohol's impact on innate immune signaling and neuroinflammation.
- Analysis of studies investigating the microbiome's role in central neurochemistry and behavior.
- Examination of data linking gut microbiota composition changes (dysbiosis) to psychiatric disorders.
Main Results:
- Alcohol consumption and withdrawal increase neuroinflammation by affecting innate immune signaling molecules.
- Alterations in gut microbiota composition (dysbiosis) disrupt microbe-host homeostasis and modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
- Emerging data suggests alcohol-induced microbiome changes may underlie reward-seeking behaviors, anxiety, depression, and craving during withdrawal.
Conclusions:
- The gut microbiome is a significant factor in alcohol's effects on the brain and behavior.
- Alcohol-related dysbiosis may contribute to the development and exacerbation of psychiatric disorders.
- Further clinical studies are needed to fully elucidate the microbiome-brain axis in alcohol dependence and related conditions.
Keywords:
Alcohol-related disordersGut microbiomeGut-brain axisMicrobiotaPsychiatric disorders inflammationMore Related Videos
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