GUT-BRAIN AXIS: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GUT MICROBIOME AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS

Abstract

Depression is a mood disorder that affects a significant portion of the population and leads to impairment of social, cognitive, work and interpersonal functions. It is possible that alterations in the intestinal microbiota may be correlated with the development of depressive symptoms, involving dysfunctions of the brain-gut axis and microbiota modulations. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between dysregulation of the brain-gut axis and the development of depressive symptoms, considering the role of the gastrointestinal microbiome. This is a systematic review of the literature and was guided by the key question: "Do dysregulations of the brain-gut axis correlate with the development of depressive symptoms?" Data collection included articles indexed in the PubMed and BVS databases in the last ten years. The literature review included the analysis of 32 studies that addressed the relationship between the brain-gut axis and depression. The results highlight the importance of the gastrointestinal microbiota in the regulation of mood and emotional behavior. Changes in the composition of the microbiota are associated with depressive symptoms, and modulating the microbiota through diet and specific interventions may have beneficial effects in the treatment of depression. The findings of the studies discussed in this review demonstrate a relationship between the intestinal microbiota and the nervous system, with depressive and anxious behaviors observed among some patients with dysbiosis.