The importance of intestinal dysbiosis in mood disorders

Intestinal bacteria and the microbiota-brain-intestin axis have been the subject of intense research in the last decade. Until recently, it seemed unlikely to combine fecal microflora with mood disorders. The growing amount of animal research shows that one of the etiological factors of mood disorders may be irregularities in this area. Evidence indicates the existence of an extremely important two-way relationship between bacteria, intestines and the brain, and that this interaction is complex and takes place on many levels. Understanding and analyzing this dependency gives new possibilities in the therapy of mood disorders, such as the use of psychobiotics, prebiotics or drugs which selectively eliminate specific bacterial strains (antimicrobials). Psychobiotics are „good” bacteria which, when consumed in appropriate doses, have a positive effect on the intestinal axis and on the condition of patients with mental disorders. Studies on their use show good results in the treatment of diseases such as depression. In people suffering from depression, significant differences in the composition of the intestinal microflora were observed, which speaks for its essential role in this disease. Even greater role of bacteria in mood disorders favors research that proves that fecal microbiota transplant entails consequences in the form of behavioral changes.