The gut-microbiota-brain axis in a Spanish population in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: microbiota composition linked to anxiety, trauma, and depression profiles
ABSTRACTThe prevalence of anxiety and depression soared following the COVID-19 pandemic. To effectively treat these conditions, a comprehensive understanding of all etiological factors is needed. This study investigated fecal microbial features associated with mental health outcomes (symptoms of anx...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Gut Microbes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19490976.2022.2162306 |
| _version_ | 1797236626917687296 |
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| author | Stefanie Malan-Müller Mireia Valles-Colomer Tomás Palomo Juan C. Leza |
| author_facet | Stefanie Malan-Müller Mireia Valles-Colomer Tomás Palomo Juan C. Leza |
| author_sort | Stefanie Malan-Müller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACTThe prevalence of anxiety and depression soared following the COVID-19 pandemic. To effectively treat these conditions, a comprehensive understanding of all etiological factors is needed. This study investigated fecal microbial features associated with mental health outcomes (symptoms of anxiety, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) in a Spanish cohort in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Microbial communities from stool samples were profiled in 198 individuals who completed validated, self-report questionnaires. 16S ribosomal RNA gene V3-4 amplicon sequencing was performed. Microbial diversity and community structure were analyzed, together with relative taxonomic abundance. In our cohort of N=198, 17.17% reported depressive symptoms, 37.37% state anxiety symptoms, 40.90% trait anxiety symptoms, and 8.08% PTSD symptoms, with high levels of comorbidity. Individuals with trait anxiety had lower Simpson’s diversity. Fusicatenibacter saccharivorans was reduced in individuals with comorbid PTSD + depression + state and trait anxiety symptoms, whilst an expansion of Proteobacteria and depletion of Synergistetes phyla were noted in individuals with depressive symptoms. The relative abundance of Anaerostipes was positively correlated with childhood trauma, and higher levels of Turicibacter sanguinis and lower levels of Lentisphaerae were found in individuals who experienced life-threatening traumas. COVID-19 infection and vaccination influenced the overall microbial composition and were associated with distinct relative taxonomic abundance profiles. These findings will help lay the foundation for future studies to identify microbial role players in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD and provide future therapeutic targets to improve mental health outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:19:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0eea1c0619864ce0b19e85cc008c2e30 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1949-0976 1949-0984 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:06:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gut Microbes |
| spelling | doaj.art-0eea1c0619864ce0b19e85cc008c2e302024-03-28T22:38:19ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGut Microbes1949-09761949-09842023-12-0115110.1080/19490976.2022.2162306The gut-microbiota-brain axis in a Spanish population in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: microbiota composition linked to anxiety, trauma, and depression profilesStefanie Malan-Müller0Mireia Valles-Colomer1Tomás Palomo2Juan C. Leza3Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense Madrid (UCM), Madrid, SpainDepartment of Cellular Computational and Integrative Biology, University of Trento, Trento, ItalyBiomedical Network Research Center of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense Madrid (UCM), Madrid, SpainABSTRACTThe prevalence of anxiety and depression soared following the COVID-19 pandemic. To effectively treat these conditions, a comprehensive understanding of all etiological factors is needed. This study investigated fecal microbial features associated with mental health outcomes (symptoms of anxiety, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) in a Spanish cohort in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Microbial communities from stool samples were profiled in 198 individuals who completed validated, self-report questionnaires. 16S ribosomal RNA gene V3-4 amplicon sequencing was performed. Microbial diversity and community structure were analyzed, together with relative taxonomic abundance. In our cohort of N=198, 17.17% reported depressive symptoms, 37.37% state anxiety symptoms, 40.90% trait anxiety symptoms, and 8.08% PTSD symptoms, with high levels of comorbidity. Individuals with trait anxiety had lower Simpson’s diversity. Fusicatenibacter saccharivorans was reduced in individuals with comorbid PTSD + depression + state and trait anxiety symptoms, whilst an expansion of Proteobacteria and depletion of Synergistetes phyla were noted in individuals with depressive symptoms. The relative abundance of Anaerostipes was positively correlated with childhood trauma, and higher levels of Turicibacter sanguinis and lower levels of Lentisphaerae were found in individuals who experienced life-threatening traumas. COVID-19 infection and vaccination influenced the overall microbial composition and were associated with distinct relative taxonomic abundance profiles. These findings will help lay the foundation for future studies to identify microbial role players in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD and provide future therapeutic targets to improve mental health outcomes.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19490976.2022.2162306Microbiomegut-microbiota-brain axismental healthanxietydepressiontrauma |
| spellingShingle | Stefanie Malan-Müller Mireia Valles-Colomer Tomás Palomo Juan C. Leza The gut-microbiota-brain axis in a Spanish population in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: microbiota composition linked to anxiety, trauma, and depression profiles Gut Microbes Microbiome gut-microbiota-brain axis mental health anxiety depression trauma |
| title | The gut-microbiota-brain axis in a Spanish population in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: microbiota composition linked to anxiety, trauma, and depression profiles |
| title_full | The gut-microbiota-brain axis in a Spanish population in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: microbiota composition linked to anxiety, trauma, and depression profiles |
| title_fullStr | The gut-microbiota-brain axis in a Spanish population in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: microbiota composition linked to anxiety, trauma, and depression profiles |
| title_full_unstemmed | The gut-microbiota-brain axis in a Spanish population in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: microbiota composition linked to anxiety, trauma, and depression profiles |
| title_short | The gut-microbiota-brain axis in a Spanish population in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: microbiota composition linked to anxiety, trauma, and depression profiles |
| title_sort | gut microbiota brain axis in a spanish population in the aftermath of the covid 19 pandemic microbiota composition linked to anxiety trauma and depression profiles |
| topic | Microbiome gut-microbiota-brain axis mental health anxiety depression trauma |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19490976.2022.2162306 |
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