Bacteria and Mental Health
Gastrointestinal flora can affect how you feel, think, or respond to stress. Researchers are currently looking into how these bacteria may impact mental health and mood.
Almost one in five American adults, children, and youth experience mental health issues annually or at some point in their lifetimes. There isn’t a single cause because various amounts of stress or underlying biological conditions can also contribute.
A list of stress-reduction methods, such as talking to a friend, practicing meditation, getting adequate sleep at night, or indulging in physical activity, may be suggested when the mood and mental health are at danger.
The possibility that stress and anxiety could start in the gut is less well-known. The relationship between the brain and gut is well known and frequently referred to as the “gut-brain axis,” with research showing that one’s emotions or mental state can affect their digestion or vice versa (see sidebar). It is now known that the “gut-brain axis” results from vagus nerve-mediated bidirectional communication between the brain and the nerve cells that line the gastrointestinal tract.
Gut-Brain-Microbiology Axis
A “microbiota-gut-brain axis” has emerged as a result of current research that has shifted its attention to the impact of bacteria on the stomach and brain. Dietary factors, such as the consumption of fermented foods and prebiotic-rich whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, have a significant impact on these bacteria, the species diversity of those microbes, and the populations of those microbes in our stomachs.
Short-chain fatty acids, precursors of neurotransmitters, and vitamins are examples of metabolites that gut microorganisms create and move through brain and circulatory pathways. Gut microorganisms are becoming more well recognized for their apparent impacts on the entire body, including the brain, and for affecting reactions to stress and anxiety based on these metabolites. Although still poorly understood, new observational and clinical investigations have given us a look into how intestinal neuronal cells in the gut may be directly influenced by gut microorganisms to affect mood and mental state.
Futures of Therapeutics, Mental Health, and Microbiota Dynamics
The body of knowledge about the ideal microbiome and the precise ways that changes and timing affect the brain continues to grow. The main objectives are to find methods for modifying the microbiota for the best possible brain growth and function throughout life.
Only observational research has provided us with the majority of our knowledge regarding gut microorganisms. The formation of the gut microbiota and baby and child brain development does, however, occur during certain periods that are becoming increasingly obvious.
Based on correlations between gut microbiota and cognitive outcomes, including fine motor abilities, social interactions, temperament, fear reaction, and stress management, these findings have been drawn. Another factor might be gender. For instance, only in boys do certain bacterial abundances correspond with extroversion, while only in girls do specific microbiome compositions link with fear reactivity.
Recent studies indicate that implementing tactics to direct microbiota growth or encourage its improvement may indirectly or directly impact brain structure and function for mental and emotional well-being. The following tactics may be used as part of these microbial shaping interventions
- Provision of prebiotics or certain nutrients for targeted alteration
- Whole microbial populations transplanted from a healthy donor
- Adding healthy bacteria through the use of probiotics
Early animal research has shown some encouraging findings. For instance, it has been discovered that animals with missing or changed gut microbiota exhibit blood-brain barrier dysfunction and behavioral deficiencies, which can be improved by reintroducing healthy microorganisms.
