Cited by 2,023Gut microbiota and healthTryptophan and brain disordersGastrointestinal motility and disorders

Gut microbiome remodeling induces depressive-like behaviors through a pathway mediated by the host’s metabolism

Zheng, P, Zeng, B, Zhou, C, Liu, M, Fang, Z, Xu, X, Zeng, L, Chen, J +11 more·2016·Molecular Psychiatry

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the result of complex gene-environment interactions. According to the World Health Organization, MDD is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and it is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. However, the definitive environmental mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of MDD remain elusive. The gut microbiome is an increasingly recognized environmental factor that can shape the brain through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. We show here that the absence of gut microbiota in germ-free (GF) mice resulted in decreased immobility time in the forced swimming test relative to conventionally raised healthy control mice. Moreover, from clinical sampling, the gut microbiotic compositions of MDD patients and healthy controls were significantly different with MDD patients characterized by significant changes in the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Fecal microbiota transplantation of GF mice with 'depression microbiota' derived from MDD patients resulted in depression-like behaviors compared with colonization with 'healthy microbiota' derived from healthy control individuals. Mice harboring 'depression microbiota' primarily exhibited disturbances of microbial genes and host metabolites involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. This study demonstrates that dysbiosis of the gut microbiome may have a causal role in the development of depressive-like behaviors, in a pathway that is mediated through the host's metabolism.

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Crossref · 10.1038/mp.2016.44

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  • These taxa may interface with conserved aspects of mammalian neurophysiology.

    “These associations also exist in human clinical populations—for example, members of the Lachnospiraceae are frequently associated with diagnoses of major depressive disorder across studies60–63—suggesting that these taxa may interface with conserved aspects of mammalian neurophysiology.”
  • Members of the Lachnospiraceae are frequently associated with diagnoses of major depressive disorder across studies.

    “These associations also exist in human clinical populations—for example, members of the Lachnospiraceae are frequently associated with diagnoses of major depressive disorder across studies60–63—suggesting that these taxa may interface with conserved aspects of mammalian neurophysiology.”
  • Differences in the composition of the gut microbiota in patients with depression compared with healthy individuals have been demonstrated.

    “Differences in the composition of the gut microbiota in patients with depression compared with healthy individuals have been demonstrated (134).”
  • Alteration of composition of bacterial communities in the gut caused by different stress has the potential to affect various metabolic pathways which may be involved in the development of depressive states.

    “It is widely accepted that the alteration of composition of bacterial communities in the gut caused by different stress have the potential to affect various metabolic pathways which may be involved in the development of depressive states [96,97].”
  • Gut microbiota can also influence neural metabolism.

    “Recent work indicates gut microbiota can also influence neural metabolism [198].”

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Authors
Zheng, P., Zeng, B., Zhou, C., Liu, M., Fang, Z., Xu, X., Zeng, L., Chen, J., Fan, S., Du, X., Zhang, X., Yang, D., Yang, Y., Meng, H., Li, W., Melgiri, N. D., Licinio, J., Wei, H., & Xie, P.
Affiliations
  • The Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (CN)
  • Army Medical University (CN)
  • Chongqing Medical University (CN)
  • Flinders University (AU)
Corresponding author
  • Licinio, J
  • Wei, H
  • Xie, P
Venue
Molecular Psychiatry
Published
2016-04-12
Volume
21
Issue
6
Pages
786-796
ISSN
  • 1359-4184 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5578
OpenAlex
W2337492846
Cited by
2,023
References
70
Citations by year
2026: 152 · 2025: 221 · 2024: 251 · 2023: 237 · 2022: 262 · 2021: 289 · 2020: 215 · 2019: 172 · 2018: 117 · 2017: 73 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 1 · 2013: 1
FWCI
67.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Molecular Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
Keywords
major depressive disorder, gut microbiota, microbiota-gut-brain axis, germ-free mice, fecal microbiota transplantation, depression-like behavior, dysbiosis, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, host metabolism, Firmicutes, actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Animals, Depression, Major Depressive Disorder, Humans, Mice, Gene-Environment Interaction, Microbiota, Dysbiosis

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