Examining the Influence of the Human Gut Microbiota on Cognition and Stress: A Systematic Review of the Literature
The gut microbiota is seen as an emerging biotechnology that can be manipulated to enhance or preserve cognition and physiological outputs of anxiety and depression in clinical conditions. However, the existence of such interactions in healthy young individuals in both non-stressful and stressful en...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/21/4623 |
| _version_ | 1797466926540128256 |
|---|---|
| author | Matthew B. Cooke Sarah Catchlove Katie L. Tooley |
| author_facet | Matthew B. Cooke Sarah Catchlove Katie L. Tooley |
| author_sort | Matthew B. Cooke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The gut microbiota is seen as an emerging biotechnology that can be manipulated to enhance or preserve cognition and physiological outputs of anxiety and depression in clinical conditions. However, the existence of such interactions in healthy young individuals in both non-stressful and stressful environments is unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between the human gut microbiota, including modulators of the microbiota on cognition, brain function and/or stress, anxiety and depression. A total of <i>n</i> = 25 eligible research articles from a possible 3853 published between October 2018 and August 2021 were identified and included. Two study design methods for synthesis were identified: cross-sectional or pre/post intervention. Few cross-sectional design studies that linked microbiota to cognition, brain activity/structure or mental wellbeing endpoints existed (<i>n</i> = 6); however, correlations between microbiota diversity and composition and areas of the brain related to cognitive functions (memory and visual processing) were observed. Intervention studies targeting the gut microbiota to improve cognition, brain structure/function or emotional well-being (<i>n</i> = 19) generally resulted in improved brain activity and/or cognition (6/8), and improvements in depression and anxiety scores (5/8). Despite inherit limitations in studies reviewed, available evidence suggests that gut microbiota is linked to brain connectivity and cognitive performance and that modulation of gut microbiota could be a promising strategy for enhancing cognition and emotional well-being in stressed and non-stressed situations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:46:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cc4ffe3e51d449aeb43d1f9c68b1c02a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:46:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-cc4ffe3e51d449aeb43d1f9c68b1c02a2023-11-24T06:14:29ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-11-011421462310.3390/nu14214623Examining the Influence of the Human Gut Microbiota on Cognition and Stress: A Systematic Review of the LiteratureMatthew B. Cooke0Sarah Catchlove1Katie L. Tooley2Department of Health Sciences and Biostatistics, Swinburne University, Melbourne 3122, AustraliaCentre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Melbourne 3122, AustraliaCognition & Behaviour, Land Division (Edinburgh), Defence Science & Technology Group, Department of Defence, Edinburgh 5111, AustraliaThe gut microbiota is seen as an emerging biotechnology that can be manipulated to enhance or preserve cognition and physiological outputs of anxiety and depression in clinical conditions. However, the existence of such interactions in healthy young individuals in both non-stressful and stressful environments is unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between the human gut microbiota, including modulators of the microbiota on cognition, brain function and/or stress, anxiety and depression. A total of <i>n</i> = 25 eligible research articles from a possible 3853 published between October 2018 and August 2021 were identified and included. Two study design methods for synthesis were identified: cross-sectional or pre/post intervention. Few cross-sectional design studies that linked microbiota to cognition, brain activity/structure or mental wellbeing endpoints existed (<i>n</i> = 6); however, correlations between microbiota diversity and composition and areas of the brain related to cognitive functions (memory and visual processing) were observed. Intervention studies targeting the gut microbiota to improve cognition, brain structure/function or emotional well-being (<i>n</i> = 19) generally resulted in improved brain activity and/or cognition (6/8), and improvements in depression and anxiety scores (5/8). Despite inherit limitations in studies reviewed, available evidence suggests that gut microbiota is linked to brain connectivity and cognitive performance and that modulation of gut microbiota could be a promising strategy for enhancing cognition and emotional well-being in stressed and non-stressed situations.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/21/4623microbiotacognitionstressanxietydepressionpsychobiotics |
| spellingShingle | Matthew B. Cooke Sarah Catchlove Katie L. Tooley Examining the Influence of the Human Gut Microbiota on Cognition and Stress: A Systematic Review of the Literature Nutrients microbiota cognition stress anxiety depression psychobiotics |
| title | Examining the Influence of the Human Gut Microbiota on Cognition and Stress: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_full | Examining the Influence of the Human Gut Microbiota on Cognition and Stress: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_fullStr | Examining the Influence of the Human Gut Microbiota on Cognition and Stress: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining the Influence of the Human Gut Microbiota on Cognition and Stress: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_short | Examining the Influence of the Human Gut Microbiota on Cognition and Stress: A Systematic Review of the Literature |
| title_sort | examining the influence of the human gut microbiota on cognition and stress a systematic review of the literature |
| topic | microbiota cognition stress anxiety depression psychobiotics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/21/4623 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT matthewbcooke examiningtheinfluenceofthehumangutmicrobiotaoncognitionandstressasystematicreviewoftheliterature AT sarahcatchlove examiningtheinfluenceofthehumangutmicrobiotaoncognitionandstressasystematicreviewoftheliterature AT katieltooley examiningtheinfluenceofthehumangutmicrobiotaoncognitionandstressasystematicreviewoftheliterature |