The Link Between Mental Health and Gut Health

Some research indicates that the gut has more neurons than the spinal cord. Some of these nerve cells belong to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, but some are complex networks that operate independently of the brain.

These neurons include sensory neurons that monitor gut conditions, circuit neurons that process this information, and motor neurons that affect smooth muscle movement and the secretion of stomach acid, bile, mucus, and other digestive enzymes. This system of neurons is known as the enteric nervous system (ENS).

The main role of the enteric nervous system is to control digestion, from swallowing to the breakdown of food to the absorption and transport of nutrients to elimination. It does not think in the way that the brain does, but its communication with the brain has big effects on the body.

One condition where researchers found the mental health and gut health link to be profound is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). People with IBS often have anxiety and depression, and doctors believed their mental health condition caused the bowel problems associated with IBS, like pain, diarrhea, and constipation.

Researchers now believe that it is the other way around: that the irritation in the GI tract that causes IBS symptoms may trigger anxiety and depression.

In addition to IBS, the [citation href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8195951/" title="Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences" desc="The enteric nervous system in gastrointestinal disease etiology]mental health-gut health link may contribute to other GI issues. These conditions used to be called function gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDS) but are now known as disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs).

In addition to IBS, DGBIs include functional dyspepsia, reflux hypersensitivity, functional constipation, and functional diarrhea. The disorders have either chronic or intermittent symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea, and, until now, had no identifiable cause.

There are direct links between the nervous system and the gut. For example, the vagus nerve leaves the brain, follows the esophagus, and connects directly to the GI tract. Nerves from the spinal cord connect directly to the smooth muscle and mucosa of various parts of the intestines, and pelvic nerves start from the spinal cord and go into the colon and rectum.

These connections establish a direct, two-way line of communication between the gut and the brain.

In addition to the ENS and direct physical links between the gut and the brain, the microbiome may also play a role in mental health. This community of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites, live in and on our bodies.

The largest concentration of microbes is in the gut. Some are helpful, while others can promote disease, including mental health issues. Research shows that there is a direct link between the microbiome and mental health.

The research that links the microbiome in the gut to mental health is fascinating. One study on rats showed that prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal transplants influenced anxiety levels. A study on humans demonstrated that a month of probiotics decreased negative thoughts, while another showed that treatment with prebiotics and introducing certain microbial species lowered anxiety.

Yet another study found that taking probiotic supplements as infants may prevent the development of autism spectrum disorders or ADHD, and a small study on depression and gut health showed that people with psychotic depression had better outcomes with a combination of antidepressants and antibiotics than antidepressants alone. Additional research has identified significant differences between the microbiome of people with schizophrenia and the control group.

Stress and emotions can influence the composition of the microbiome, further demonstrating that the mental health and gut link goes both ways. Emotions release stress hormones and neurotransmitters, which can alter the composition of the gut by encouraging intestinal permeability, affecting the release of digestive enzymes, and slowing down gut motility.

Links between mental health and gut health have led to research on whether targeting the gut is an effective way to treat mental health conditions. Studies have looked at how probiotics, prebiotics, and combinations of the two can alter the gut microbiome and potentially improve patient outcomes.

Specifically, probiotics may be beneficial because they offer many benefits, including competing with hostile bacteria, enhancing gut barrier functions, and stopping harmful bacteria from spreading. These things can all have important impacts on the microbiome and, in turn, mental health.

There are some limitations to current studies, in part because the field is new and longer studies are needed to fully understand the role of the gut in treating mental health issues.

For example, although studies on probiotics have been promising, they often use small sample sizes and different doses and strains, and measure and report results in different ways. Long-term coordinated studies could deliver a clearer picture of the link between the gut and mental health.