Psychobiotics as Next–Generation Probiotics: A Holistic Approach to Mental Health and Gut-Brain Axis Modulation
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 54
Special Issue Editor
Interests: molecular mechanisms of allergenicity; genetic and biotechnological approaches in food science; gut microbiota and host interactions; next-generation probiotics; functional foods and personalized nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Diet, stress, and gut microbiota dysbiosis are critical in disrupting the gut–brain axis, significantly impacting mental and neurological health. Poor dietary habits, chronic stress, and an imbalanced microbial composition can alter neurotransmitter production, immune responses, and metabolic pathways, contributing to conditions such as anxiety, depression, and neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, studies exploring the mechanisms of these interactions are essential for developing microbiome-based interventions, including psychobiotic therapies, dietary modifications, and stress management strategies. Such research can provide valuable insights into restoring gut–brain homeostasis and offer novel therapeutic approaches for mental and neurological health.
The gut–brain axis is an intricate bidirectional communication network linking the central nervous system with the gut microbiota. Emerging evidence highlights the role of psychobiotics—probiotics with mental health benefits—as potential modulators of this axis, influencing cognitive function, emotional well-being, and neurological disorders. By modulating neurotransmitter production, immune responses, and metabolic pathways, psychobiotics present a promising next-generation approach to mental health interventions.
This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest advances in psychobiotics, explore their mechanisms of action, and examine their therapeutic potential in conditions such as anxiety, depression, neurodegenerative diseases, and stress-related disorders. Topics of interest include microbiome-based interventions for neurological and psychiatric disorders, metabolic and immune pathways linking gut bacteria to mental health, and innovative approaches to psychobiotic formulation and their delivery to the human diet.
We welcome original research and review articles on topics such as microbiota–neurotransmitter interactions, clinical applications of psychobiotics, the role of diet and psychobiotics in gut–brain modulation, and novel strategies for harnessing psychobiotics in personalized medicine. We invite basic and clinical investigators to submit their valuable work as original articles or reviews to this Special Issue. We would be very grateful for your contributions and consider it a pleasure to receive your manuscripts.
Potential topics include but are not limited to:
- Role of next-generation probiotics in mental health;
- Mechanisms of psychobiotics in gut–brain communication;
- Novel psychobiotic strains and their functional properties;
- Dysbiosis-related brain dysfunction and cognitive decline;
- Impact of diet, stress, and lifestyle on gut microbiota and brain health;
- Production of neurotransmitters (GABA, serotonin, dopamine) by gut bacteria;
- Influence of gut metabolites on brain function;
- Personalized psychobiotic therapies for anxiety, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases;
- Postbiotics for gut–brain axis regulation;
- Microbiome-based therapies for stress, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders;
- In vitro and in vivo models for studying psychobiotic mechanisms;
- Cohort studies linking gut microbiota composition to mental health outcomes;
- Translational research in microbiome-based mental health interventions.
Prof. Dr. Edyta Juszczuk-Kubiak
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- probiotics
- gut microbiota
- gut–brain axis
- mental health
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