Cited by 1,044Gut microbiota and healthGastrointestinal motility and disordersTryptophan and brain disorders

Correlation between the human fecal microbiota and depression

Naseribafrouei, A., Hestad, K., Avershina, E., Sekelja, M., Linløkken, A., Wilson, R., Rudi, K.·2014·Neurogastroenterology & Motility

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Depression is a chronic syndrome with a pathogenesis linked to various genetic, biological, and environmental factors. Several links between gut microbiota and depression have been established in animal models. In humans, however, few correlations have yet been demonstrated. The aim of our work was therefore to identify potential correlations between human fecal microbiota (as a proxy for gut microbiota) and depression. METHODS: We analyzed fecal samples from 55 people, 37 patients, and 18 non-depressed controls. Our analyses were based on data generated by Illumina deep sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. KEY RESULTS: We found several correlations between depression and fecal microbiota. The correlations, however, showed opposite directions even for closely related Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU's), but were still associated with certain higher order phylogroups. The order Bacteroidales showed an overrepresentation (p = 0.05), while the family Lachnospiraceae showed an underrepresentation (p = 0.02) of OTU's associated with depression. At low taxonomic levels, there was one clade consisting of five OTU's within the genus Oscillibacter, and one clade within Alistipes (consisting of four OTU's) that showed a significant association with depression (p = 0.03 and 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: The Oscillibacter type strain has valeric acid as its main metabolic end product, a homolog of neurotransmitter GABA, while Alistipes has previously been shown to be associated with induced stress in mice. In conclusion, the taxonomic correlations detected here may therefore correspond to mechanistic models.

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Crossref · 10.1111/nmo.12378

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  • In depressive patients without IBS symptoms, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was inversely correlated with the microbiota composition profiled in patients with IBS.

    “However, in depressive patients without IBS symptoms, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was inversely correlated with the microbiota composition profiled in patients with IBS [145-147].”
  • Initial clinical evidence of MGB interactions primarily stems from associations between dysbiosis and CNS disorders, such as autism, anxiety-depressive behaviors, and functional gastrointestinal disorders.

    “Initial clinical evidence of MGB interactions primarily stems from associations between dysbiosis and CNS disorders, such as autism, anxiety-depressive behaviors, and functional gastrointestinal disorders (63, 65–72).”
  • Three studies reported no significant differences in microbial diversity.

    “While three studies reported no significant differences in microbial diversity [57,70,71], Jiang et al. (2015) reported greater microbial diversity in patients with MDD than in healthy individuals [56].”
  • Naseribafrouei et al. (2014) reported that the abundance of higher-order Bacteroidales and the Oscillibacter and Alistipes genera and lower abundance of the family Lachnospiraceae were associated with depression in the comparison of the gut microbiota between 37 patients with depression and 18 healthy controls.

    “Naseribafrouei et al. (2014) reported that the abundance of higher-order Bacteroidales and the Oscillibacter and Alistipes genera and lower abundance of the family Lachnospiraceae were associated with depression in the comparison of the gut microbiota between 37 patients with depression and 18 healthy controls [57].”

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Authors
Naseribafrouei, A., Hestad, K., Avershina, E., Sekelja, M., Linløkken, A., Wilson, R., & Rudi, K.
Affiliations
  • Hedmark University College (NO)
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NO)
Corresponding author
Rudi, K.
Venue
Neurogastroenterology & Motility
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2014-06
Volume
26
Issue
8
Pages
1155-1162
ISSN
  • 1350-1925 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-2982
OpenAlex
W2031441917
Cited by
1,044
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 41 · 2025: 81 · 2024: 106 · 2023: 89 · 2022: 119 · 2021: 138 · 2020: 137 · 2019: 99 · 2018: 76 · 2017: 59 · 2016: 57 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 9
FWCI
21.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Neurogastroenterology & Motility (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Høgskolen i Hedmark
  • Sykehuset Innlandet HF
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
Keywords
depression, gut microbiota, fecal microbiota, Bacteroidales, Lachnospiraceae, Oscillibacter, Alistipes, valeric acid, GABA, microbial metabolites, stress, 16S rRNA gene sequencing
MeSH terms
Adult, Depressive Disorder, Feces, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Microbiota

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