Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):219-224 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.024

Probiotics and the microbiota-gut-brain axis: focus on patients with depression. A review of current research

Cristina Macrea1, Tiberia Ilias2, Ovidiu Fratila2, Brata Roxana1, Cristian Hocopan1
1 Doctoral School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
2 Department of Medical Disciplines, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania

This review covers recent data on the relationship between major depressive disorder (MDD) and faecal microbiome and examines the co-relations between the use of probiotics and changes in psychiatric state. We conducted a thorough search of academic databases for articles published between 2018 and 2022, using specific keywords and previously established inclusion/exclusion criteria regarding faecal microbiota, depressive disorder, and probiotics. Of 192 eligible articles (reviews, original papers, and clinical trials), we selected 10 that fully met our criteria and performed a careful review to determine any correlation between microbiome, probiotic treatment, and depression. All patients were adults (mean age, 36.8), with at least one MDD episode and onset of depression during adolescence (duration of 31.39 years of depressive episodes). We found mixed but mostly positive results regarding the influence of probiotic/prebiotic/postbiotic effects on depression. We could not identify the precise mechanism of action that led to their improvement. Antidepressants did not alter the microbiota, according to studies that evaluated this aspect. Probiotic/prebiotic/postbiotic treatments were proven to be safe, with few and mild side effects. Probiotics seemingly could be beneficial in patients with depression, as evidenced by well-established depression scales. Based on this finding and the high tolerability and safety of probiotics, no caveats against their routine use can be made. Some unmet needs in this field include determination of the dominant type of microbiota in specific patients with depression; study of microbiome-directed/driven treatment regarding dose and duration adjustments; and multiple versus single strain treatments.

Keywords: microbiota, depression, depressive disorder, probiotics

Received: May 2, 2023; Revised: June 1, 2023; Accepted: June 2, 2023; Prepublished online: June 14, 2023; Published: September 21, 2023  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Macrea, C., Ilias, T., Fratila, O., Roxana, B., & Hocopan, C. (2023). Probiotics and the microbiota-gut-brain axis: focus on patients with depression. A review of current research. Biomedical papers, 167(3), 219-224. doi: 10.5507/bp.2023.024
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Chudzik A, Orzy³owska A, Rola R, Stanisz GJ. Probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics on mitigation of depression symptoms: modulation of the brain-gut-microbiome axis. Biomolecules 2021;11(7):1000. doi: 10.3390/biom11071000 Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. Reininghaus EZ, Platzer M, Kohlhammer-Dohr A, Hamm C, Mörkl S, Bengesser SA, Fellendorf FT, Lahousen-Luxenberger T, Leitner-Afschar B, Schöggl H, Amberger-Otti D, Wurm W, Queissner R, Birner A, Falzberger VS, Painold A, Fitz W, Brunnmayr M, Rieger A, Wagner-Skacel J, Maget A, Unterweger R, Schwalsberger K, Reininghaus B, Lenger M, Bastiaanssen TFS, Dalkner N. PROVIT: Supplementary probiotic treatment and vitamin B7 in depression-a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients 2020;12(11):3422. doi: 10.3390/nu12113422 Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Reiter A, Bengesser SA, Hauschild AC, Birkl-Töglhofer AM, Fellendorf FT, Platzer M, Färber T, Seidl M, Mende LM, Unterweger R, Lenger M, Mörkl S, Dalkner N, Birner A, Queissner R, Hamm C, Maget A, Pilz R, Kohlhammer-Dohr A, Wagner-Skacel J, Kreuzer K, Schöggl H, Amberger-Otti D, Lahousen T, Leitner-Afschar B, Haybäck J, Kapfhammer HP, Reininghaus E. Interleukin-6 gene expression changes after a 4-week intake of a multispecies probiotic in major depressive disorder-preliminary results of the PROVIT study. Nutrients 2020;12(9):2575. doi: 10.3390/nu12092575 Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Amirani E, Milajerdi A, Mirzaei H, Jamilian H, Mansournia MA, Hallajzadeh J, Ghaderi A. The effects of probiotic supplementation on mental health, biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med 2020;49:102361. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102361 Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. Kazemi A, Noorbala AA, Azam K, Eskandari MH, Djafarian K. Effect of probiotic and prebiotic vs placebo on psychological outcomes in patients with major depressive disorder: a randomized clinical trial. Clin Nutr 2019;38(2):522-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. Liu RT, Walsh RF, Sheehan AE. Prebiotics and probiotics for depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019;02:13-23. Go to original source...
    7. Nikolova VL, Cleare AJ, Young AH, Stone JM. Updated review and meta-analysis of probiotics for the treatment of clinical depression: adjunctive vs. stand-alone treatment. J Clin Med 2021;10(4):647. doi: 10.3390/jcm10040647 Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Arifdjanova SR, Abrurakhmanova ZZ, Bizulya ES, Gumenyuk LN, Sorokina LE, Gerbali OY. The role of probiotics in combination therapy of depressive disorders. Russ Open Med J 2021;10(1):109. Go to original source...
    9. £oniewski I, Misera A, Skonieczna-¯ydecka K, Kaczmarczyk M, Ka¼mierczak-Siedlecka K, Misiak B, Marlicz W, Samochowiec J. Major depressive disorder and gut microbiota - association not causation. A scoping review. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021;106:110111. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110111 Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Goh KK, Liu YW, Kuo PH, Chung YE, Lu ML, Chen CH. Effect of probiotics on depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis of human studies. Psychiatry Res 2019;282:112568. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112568 Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Ng QX, Peters C, Ho CYX, Lim DY, Yeo WS. A meta-analysis of the use of probiotics to alleviate depressive symptoms. J Affect Disord 2018;228:13-9. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Nadeem I, Rahman MZ, Ad-Dab'bagh Y, Akhtar M. Effect of probiotic interventions on depressive symptoms: A narrative review evaluating systematic reviews. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019;73(4):154-62. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Chahwan B, Kwan S, Isik A, van Hemert S, Burke C, Roberts L. Gut feelings: a randomised, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial of probiotics for depressive symptoms. J Affect Disord 2019;253:317-26. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Chen HM, Kuo PH, Hsu CY, Chiu YH, Liu YW, Lu ML, Chen CH. Psychophysiological effects of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 in Patients with major depressive disorder: A preliminary 8-week open trial. Nutrients 2021;13(11):3731. doi: 10.3390/nu13113731 Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. Tian P, Chen Y, Zhu H, Wang L, Qian X, Zou R, Zhao J, Zhang H, Qian L, Wang Q, Wang G, Chen W. Bifidobacterium breve CCFM1025 attenuates major depression disorder via regulating gut microbiome and tryptophan metabolism: A randomized clinical trial. Brain Behav Immun 2022;100:233-41. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content