Stress, inflammation, microbiome and depression
Eva M Medina-Rodriguez1, Alyssa A Cruz2, Julia Cavati De Abreu2
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, United States of America; Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL 33125, United States of America.
Abstract:
Psychiatric disorders are mental illnesses involving changes in mood, cognition and behavior. Their prevalence has rapidly increased in the last decades. One of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders is major depressive disorder (MDD), a debilitating disease lacking efficient treatments. Increasing evidence shows that microbial and immunological changes contribute to the pathophysiology of depression and both are modulated by stress. This bidirectional relationship constitutes the brain-gut axis involving various neuroendocrine, immunological, neuroenterocrine and autonomic pathways. The present review covers the most recent findings on the relationships between stress, the gut microbiome and the inflammatory response and their contribution to depression.
Insights
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is linked to gut microbiome and inflammation changes, influenced by stress. Understanding the brain-gut axis offers new avenues for treating this prevalent psychiatric disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Microbiology
Background:
- Psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), are increasingly prevalent globally.
- MDD is a debilitating condition with limited effective treatment options.
- Emerging evidence implicates microbial and immunological alterations in depression's development.
Conclusions:
- The gut microbiome and inflammation are critical factors in major depressive disorder.
- Stress exacerbates these changes, highlighting the importance of the brain-gut axis.
- Targeting the gut microbiome and inflammatory pathways may offer novel therapeutic strategies for MDD.
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