Abstracto

Depression and the Microbiome

Hiba Mohsen

An intriguing topic that has captured the interest of many scientists is the brain-gut interaction. A growing body of literature elucidates that the microbiome residing within the gastrointestinal tract interacts with the brain and affects mental health. This is possible through the microbiome's ability to modify behavioral and cognitive brain activities through the synthesis of neuroactive molecules, vitamins, and Short Chain Fatty Acids. The microbiome dates back to early stages of life yet as we grow it continues to be affected by genetic and environmental factors. It is shown that disturbances in the microbiome homeostasis decode into different illnesses ranging from metabolic conditions to neurologic and psychiatric diseases. In depression, certain intestinal bacterial strains are found to be either depleted or augmented. The bacterial phyla correlated with depression will be reviewed in this paper, in addition to recent therapeutic implications that alleviate depression symptoms and adjust the microbiome.