Gut Microbiota in Psychiatric and Neurological Disorders: Current Insights and Therapeutic Implications

Recent studies increasingly highlight the complex interaction between gut microbiota and mental health, drawing attention to the role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) in the pathophysiology of mental and neurodevelopmental disorders. Changes in the composition of the gut microbiota-dysbiosis-are associated with conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. These microbial imbalances can affect brain function through a variety of mechanisms, including activation of the immune system, alteration of intestinal permeability, modulation of the digestive and central nervous systems, and changes in the production of neuroactive metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, serotonin, and tryptophan derivatives. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of knowledge on therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiome-including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, personalized dietary interventions, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)-which are becoming promising adjuncts or alternatives to conventional psychopharmacology, offering a forward-looking and individualized approach to mental health treatment. Understanding the bidirectional and multifactorial nature of MGBA may pave the way for new, integrative treatment paradigms in psychiatry and neurology, requiring further research and exploration of their scope of application.