We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
The safety, efficacy, and tolerability of a microbial therapeutic in people with major depression and/or generalized anxiety disorder: Preliminary findings.
- Authors
Meyyappan, A. Chinna; Milev, R.
- Abstract
Introduction: The bidirectional biochemical signalling between the gut microbiota and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis, is being heavily explored in current neuropsychiatric research. Analyses of the human gut microbiota have shown considerable individual variability in bacterial content which is hypothesized to influence mood and anxiety symptoms through gut-brain axis communication. Research examining these effects suggests that microbiota transplantationmay help improve depression and anxiety symptoms and severity by recolonizing the gastrointestinal tract with healthy bacteria. Objectives: The primary objective is to assess subjective changes in mood and anxiety symptoms throughout the study. The secondary objectives are to assess changes in metabolic functioning and level of repopulation of healthy gut bacteria, safety and tolerability of therapeutic, and effects of early stress on biomarkers of depression/anxiety and response to treatment. Methods: Seven adults diagnosed with MDD/GAD were recruited from Kingston, ON, Canada. Participants consumed daily an encapsulated therapeutic, containing 40 strains of bacteria purified and lab-grown from a single donor, for 8 weeks. Participants completed assessments measuring mood/anxiety/GI symptoms for a 10-week period. Blood/fecal samples were assessed for biomarker changes and level of engraftment from feces. Results: Six of seven individuals responded to treatment (50% improvement in MADRS/GAD-7 scores since baseline). Over the 10-week course, MET-2 significantly decreased MADRS and - GAD-7 scores, F(1,6) = 14.19, p = 0.009 and F(1,6) = 18.07, p = 0.005, respectively. This improvement may be mediated by the recolonization of the gastrointestinal tract with healthy bacteria. Conclusions: These preliminary findings may be the first to provide evidence for the role of microbial therapy in treating depression and anxiety.
- Subjects
KINGSTON (Jamaica); CANADA; MENTAL depression; GENERALIZED anxiety disorder; GUT microbiome; HUMAN microbiota; GASTROINTESTINAL system
- Publication
European Psychiatry, 2020, Vol 63, pS25
- ISSN
0924-9338
- Publication type
Article