Anxiety and depression caused by stress linked to gut bacteria living in intestines, scientists find

Anxiety and depression caused by stress linked to gut bacteria living in intestines, scientists find



Anxiety and depression caused by stress linked to gut bacteria living in intestines, scientists find.

Anxiety and depression could be linked to the presence of bacteria in the intestines, scientists have found.

A study on laboratory mice has shown that anxious and depressive behaviour brought on by exposure to stress in early life appears only to be triggered if microbes are present in the gut.

The study, published in Nature Communications, demonstrates a clear link between gut microbiota – the microbes living naturally in the intestines – and the triggering of the behavioural signs of stress.

“We have shown for the first time in an established mouse model of anxiety and depression that bacteria play a crucial role in inducing this abnormal behaviour,” said Premysl Bercik of McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, the lead author of the study.

The scientists called for further research to see if the conclusions applied to humans, and whether therapies that that target intestinal microbes can benefit patients with psychiatric disorders.