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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
06:27
An Olfactory Preference Test for Measuring Olfactory Hedonic Biases in Mouse Models of Depression
Published on: July 11, 2025
Sex differences in oral microbiome diversity and depression
Yan-Ping Wu1, Yue Fang1, Qin Wang1
1Department of Neurology, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Psychology, Health & Medicine
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Oral microbiome diversity is linked to depression risk, but this association differs by sex. Higher oral microbiome diversity was associated with lower depression risk in males, but not in females.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- The oral microbiome-brain axis suggests a link between oral bacteria and mental health.
- Previous research has not clarified if sex influences the association between oral microbiome diversity and depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between oral microbiome diversity and depression.
- To determine if sex modifies this association.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2012.
- Analyzed oral microbiome composition using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing.
- Assessed depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and oral microbiome diversity (α diversity) metrics.
Main Results:
- In the general population, reduced Faith's Phylogenetic Diversity was linked to increased depression risk.
- In males, higher α diversity (observed ASVs and Faith's Phylogenetic Diversity) correlated with lower depression risk.
- No significant association between α diversity and depression was found in females, with significant interactions between sex and α diversity observed for some metrics.
Conclusions:
- Higher oral microbiome diversity is associated with a reduced risk of depression in adult males.
- The association between oral microbiome diversity and depression is sex-dependent.
- Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms of the oral-microbiome-brain axis and sex differences in mental health.
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