Medication use is associated with distinct microbial features in anxiety and depression

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Gut microbiota composition is increasingly linked to various health conditions, including neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs).
• The influence of psychotropic medications on the gut microbiome is not fully understood.
• Anxiety disorder (ANXD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are prevalent conditions with complex etiologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and NPDs (ANXD/MDD).
• To examine the impact of antidepressant and anxiolytic medication use on gut microbiota.
• To identify potential microbial biomarkers for NPD and medication use.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 666 fecal samples using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and shallow shotgun sequencing (WGS).
• Utilized data from the Tulsa-1000 and NeuroMAP CoBRE cohorts.
• Employed Random Forest classifiers to predict NPD diagnoses and medication status from microbial profiles.

Main Results:

• Antidepressant use demonstrated a significant effect on gut microbiota beta diversity, with a larger effect size than NPD diagnosis.
• Specific microbial taxa were associated with ANXD and MDD.
• Random Forest models successfully predicted NPD and medication use based on gut microbial profiles.
• Effect sizes were generally larger in females than males, though trends were consistent across sexes.

Conclusions:

• Medication use, particularly antidepressants, significantly shapes the gut microbiome.
• Gut microbiota alterations are associated with ANXD and MDD, suggesting potential therapeutic targets.
• Microbial profiles show promise as biomarkers for predicting NPD and medication status.
• Further research is warranted to explore the gut microbiome's role in NPD and its interaction with pharmacological treatments.