Special Issue "New Insights into the Interactions between Gut Microbiota and Mental Health"

Dear Colleagues,

A growing appreciation of the gut–brain axis has led to investigation of the role of gut microbiota in mental health risk and treatment. Rodent models and human data suggest that both the baseline composition of the gut microbial population and active manipulation of bacterial flora may impact psychiatric symptoms. The most well-developed areas of research include mood, anxiety, and stress disorders. Other areas of exploration range from neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, to neurodegenerative disorders. Based on these preliminary studies, interventions aimed at altering the microbiome, mainly through the administration of probiotics and prebiotics, have begun to be tested. More recently, interactions between gut microbiota and commonly prescribed psychopharmacologic agents have been discovered, and effects on treatment outcomes and adverse events have been reported. While our lack of knowledge about what constitutes a “healthy microbiome” and the safety and efficacy of microbiome manipulation have prevented the widespread clinical implementation of microbiome testing or treatment, commercial services that provide microbiome analysis already exist and are likely to grow. Given the current public enthusiasm for and professional controversy around genetic testing to guide psychiatric prescription, it is likely that microbiome testing and manipulation will be an issue for mental health providers in the near future. The present Special Issue aims to review current knowledge, highlight areas of clinical promise and research potential, and introduce future directions to advance the state of the field of gut microbiota in mental health.

Dr. Erika L. Nurmi
Guest Editor

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• gut microbiota
• microbiome
• gut–brain axis
• probiotics
• prebiotics
• psychobiotics