Title : Psychobiotics: Impact of diet-modulated probiotic bacterial metabolites on enhancing mental health
Abstract:
In recent decades, anxiety and depression have grown to be serious health concerns. Mental health issues, particularly stress-related depression, are prevalent among college students, affecting their academic performance and overall well-being. Recent studies suggest a significant link between gut health and mental health, highlighting the potential of probiotics in mitigating stress and enhancing mood. Research has shown that certain gut microbiota-derived metabolites may have therapeutic potential for mental health conditions, such as depression. These metabolites include short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, acetate, and propionate, which have anti-inflammatory properties and can modulate neuroinflammatory pathways involved in depression. Additionally, neurotransmitter precursors (such as tryptophan) and their metabolites (such as serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) can be influenced by gut bacteria, thereby affecting mood regulation.
There is mounting evidence that gut microbial dysbiosis may significantly influence the etiology of mood disorders. The gut microbiota, a significant "microbial organ," directly contributes to nutrition metabolism, peripheral immunological control, and even distantly influences brain processes and behaviors. This study aims to look into the connection between gut bacteria and the brain-axis and to identify the major signaling pathways between the gut microbiota and the brain, in order to better understand how the gut microbiota affects anxiety and depression. Among the study of probiotic bacteria producing neurotransmitters, Enterococcus inesii's psychobiotic potential is a novel and an unexplored domain. Here, we have investigated the antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of the bacterium Enterococcus inesii isolated from phytobiotic treated chicken gut and also detected the glutamate decarboxylase (Gad-b1) gene responsible for expressing GABA and dopamine in the isolate by using specific primers. The presence of the gene in the probiotic Enterococcus inesii confirms the potential of the gut isolate in the production of neurotransmitters. From this preliminary work, we conclude that boosting gut health with probiotic bacteria with significant psychobiotic potential can enhance mental health and could provide a novel therapeutic approach to treat anxiety and depression.
Keywords: Psychobiotics, Gut microbiota, Enterococcus inesii, Neurotransmitters, Depression, Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD)
