Editorials & Other Articles

bananas

(27,509 posts) Sun Aug 2, 2015, 05:15 AM Aug 2015

Gut Bacteria Changes In Early Life Can Lead To Anxiety And Depression

http://www.medicaldaily.com/gut-bacteria-changes-early-life-can-lead-anxiety-and-depression-345276

Gut Bacteria Changes In Early Life Can Lead To Anxiety And Depression

Jul 29, 2015 04:11 PM By Lecia Bushak

Stresses in your early life — like traumatic external events — can alter the delicate balance of your gut microbiota, something that’s linked to immune system, digestive, and mental health. And these changes in your gut microbiota can ultimately lead to a higher risk of anxiety and depression later in life, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

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They examined two groups of mice — one with normal, healthy gut bacteria and another that had no gut bacteria. Mice in each group were exposed to early-life stress, such as being separated from their mothers for three hours every day between the ages of three to 21 days.

Interestingly, the mice with normal gut bacteria developed high levels of the stress hormone corticosterone — then developed anxiety, depression, and impaired gut function. But the mice who had no gut bacteria, while they showed high levels of corticosterone, didn’t end up exhibiting anxiety or depression later on. When the researchers transferred gut bacteria from stressed mice to those that were stressed but had no gut bacteria, it triggered both anxiety and depression.

“This suggests that in this model, both host and microbial factors are required for the development of anxiety and depression-like behavior,” Premysl Bercik said in the press release. “Neonatal stress leads to increased stress reactivity and gut dysfunction that changes the gut microbiota which, in turn, alters brain function.”

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6 replies

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Gut Bacteria Changes In Early Life Can Lead To Anxiety And Depression (Original Post) bananas Aug 2015 OP

Seems odd. bemildred Aug 2015 #1

Zen and the Microbiome. bananas Aug 2015 #4

It'll be funny if antidepressants work by affecting gut bacteria. bananas Aug 2015 #5

There you go. That is sharp thinking there. bemildred Aug 2015 #6

Here's the paper in Nature bananas Aug 2015 #2

How Early-Life Stress Could Increase Risk Of Anxiety And Depression Later In Life bananas Aug 2015 #3

bemildred

(90,061 posts)

1. Seems odd.

Reply to bananas (Original post)

Sun Aug 2, 2015, 05:22 AM

Aug 2015

The boundary between what is 'us' and what is not "us" gets even blurrier.

But it makes sense, microbial life can mess you up, no question about that.

And more fuel for the pro-biotic and poop-infusion fads. "Restore healthy gut bacteria!! Only $19.95."

bananas

(27,509 posts)

4. Zen and the Microbiome.

Reply to bemildred (Reply #1)

Sun Aug 2, 2015, 03:20 PM

Aug 2015

Become one with your intestinal flora.
Advanced level: Become one with your skin flora.
Masters level: Become one with the bacteria calcifying your arteries.
Teach them the Four Noble Truths.
Teach them that their clinging is what causes your suffering (chest pain).
Convince them not to cling so tightly, to loosen up and go with the flow.
But not all at once! For if they cling to each other, they will cause an aneurysm!
And then they'll all die!
Om!

bananas

(27,509 posts)

5. It'll be funny if antidepressants work by affecting gut bacteria.

Reply to bemildred (Reply #1)

Sun Aug 2, 2015, 04:04 PM

Aug 2015

Drug companies, universities, venture capitalists have all sunk tons of money into promising "me too" drugs hoping for another blockbuster like Prozac and Elavil.

But most of them don't work, even though according to the prevailing theories they should.

And the ones that do work, the reasoning for how they work lacks credibility, for many reasons.

So out of desperation numerous alternative theories have been proposed - neurogenesis etc.

It'll be ironic if the explanation is much simpler - the drugs that work, work because of their particular effects on the microbiome.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)

6. There you go. That is sharp thinking there.

Reply to bananas (Reply #5)

Sun Aug 2, 2015, 09:55 PM

Aug 2015

I have a notion that our little microbial friends have much to teach us, once we develop a better attitude towards them.

I am not opposed to GMO work either, I just think we need to have a much better grip on how things really work before we start setting things loose in the wild, so to speak. I think we are somewhere in the Alchemy stage when it comes to genomics, and more likely to screw things up than find something worthwhile.

bananas

(27,509 posts)

2. Here's the paper in Nature

Reply to bananas (Original post)

Sun Aug 2, 2015, 02:01 PM

Aug 2015

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150728/ncomms8735/full/ncomms8735.html

Microbiota and host determinants of behavioural phenotype in maternally separated mice

G. De Palma1, P. Blennerhassett1, J. Lu1, Y. Deng1, A. J. Park1, W. Green1, E. Denou1, M. A. Silva1, A. Santacruz2, Y. Sanz2, M. G. Surette1, E. F. Verdu1, S. M. Collins1, P. Bercik1,

Nature Communications 6, Article number: 7735
doi:10.1038/ncomms8735

Received 10 April 2014
Accepted 05 June 2015
Published 28 July 2015

Abstract

Early-life stress is a determinant of vulnerability to a variety of disorders that include dysfunction of the brain and gut. Here we exploit a model of early-life stress, maternal separation (MS) in mice, to investigate the role of the intestinal microbiota in the development of impaired gut function and altered behaviour later in life. Using germ-free and specific pathogen-free mice, we demonstrate that MS alters the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and colonic cholinergic neural regulation in a microbiota-independent fashion. However, microbiota is required for the induction of anxiety-like behaviour and behavioural despair. Colonization of adult germ-free MS and control mice with the same microbiota produces distinct microbial profiles, which are associated with altered behaviour in MS, but not in control mice. These results indicate that MS-induced changes in host physiology lead to intestinal dysbiosis, which is a critical determinant of the abnormal behaviour that characterizes this model of early-life stress.

Purchase article full text and PDF: $32

bananas

(27,509 posts)

3. How Early-Life Stress Could Increase Risk Of Anxiety And Depression Later In Life

Reply to bananas (Original post)

Sun Aug 2, 2015, 02:04 PM

Aug 2015

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gut-bacteria-mental-health-connection_55b8d6d6e4b0a13f9d1ade20

How Early-Life Stress Could Increase Risk Of Anxiety And Depression Later In Life

Being a stressed-out kid can affect the bacteria in your gut -- which can set you up for mental health problems down the line.

Carolyn Gregoire
Senior Health + Science Writer, The Huffington Post

Posted: 07/30/2015 06:46 PM EDT | Edited: 07/31/2015 04:04 PM EDT

The trillions of organisms living in your digestive tract can literally change the way your brain works.

Scientists continue to find more and more evidence of the significant influence of gut bacteria on mental health. Studies have linked gut bacteria imbalances to a host of health issues, including depression, anxiety, autism and Alzheimer's disease, and research has also suggested that a healthy microbiome can contribute to a healthy brain and good mood.

These issues can be activated at a very young age. New research suggests that a stressful childhood might set you up for gut dysfunction and mental health issues down the road.

In a study on mice, which was published this week in the journal Nature Communications, researchers from McMaster University in Canada showed that early-life stress can lead to imbalances in the gut microbiome and contribute to the development of anxiety and depression.

"Early life stress changes the composition and metabolic activity of bacteria in the gut," the study's lead author, Dr. Premysl Bercik, a professor of gastroenterology at the university's medical school, told The Huffington Post in an email. "We postulate that this change is due to altered gut function induced by stress."

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