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Depression is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses and is often associated with various other medical disorders. Since the 1980s, the primary pharmacological treatment has been antidepressants, but due to the recent discovery of the association between the gut microbiome and mental health, probiotics have been proposed as an adjunctive or alternate treatment. In this narrative review, we aim to provide a holistic perspective by synthesizing and evaluating existing evidence, discussing key biological mechanisms, exploring the history of probiotic use, and appreciating the influence of modern diet on mental health. Five online databases were searched for relevant studies up to December 2017. Systematic reviews that included randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of depressive symptoms were included. Seven systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. Three of these reviews conducted meta-analyses, out of which, two concluded that probiotics improved depressive symptoms in the sample population. Out of the four reviews that conducted qualitative analysis, three reviews concluded that probiotics have the potential to be used as a treatment. Due to the differences in clinical trials, a definitive effect of probiotics on depressive symptoms cannot be concluded. Nonetheless, probiotics seem to potentially produce a significant therapeutic effect for subjects with pre-existing depressive symptoms. Further studies are warranted for definitive conclusions.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pcn.12804 | DOI Listing |
Genes Brain Behav
October 2025
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Major depressive disorder is a prevalent and debilitating psychiatric illness that produces significant disability. Clinical data suggest that the pathophysiology of depression is due, in part, to a dysregulation of inflammation and glutamate levels in the brain. The systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been shown to induce depressive-like behaviors in mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDev Psychopathol
September 2025
Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
Anxiety and depression symptoms and disorders are the leading child mental health problems in western societies. This systematic review evaluated how parental emotion socialization (ES) relates to children's internalizing problems (from birth to age 18 years). Three meta-analyses, evaluating supportive ( = 50, = 10,698), nonsupportive ES behaviors ( = 47, = 10,970), and elaboration ( = 6, = 867) were conducted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci
September 2025
Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY.
Objective: One of the most frequent neuropsychiatric complications after a stroke is poststroke depression (PSD). However, it is unclear whether disparities exist in PSD diagnosis. The authors examined a 10-year trend in PSD by socioeconomic and clinical characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci
September 2025
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University and Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON.
Objective: The authors examined differences in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the brain between nontreatment-seeking adults with alcohol use disorder (case group) and recreational drinkers without alcohol use disorder (control group) and explored behavioral and psychological mechanisms underlying these differences.
Methods: This case-control study included 140 adults (N=71 with alcohol use disorder and N=69 demographically matched control individuals) who completed a 9-minute resting-state functional MRI scan. About 45% were men, and the mean±SD age was 32.
Ann Palliat Med
September 2025
Brown University Health Cancer Institute, Providence, RI, USA; Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, US.
ancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease and often presents at an advanced stage with no curative options. The disease is often characterized by rapid progression, limited or short-lived responsiveness to standard therapies, and a profound impact on patients' quality of life. Despite advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapy, curative outcomes remain elusive for the majority of patients with advanced or high-grade disease with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%.
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