Good mental health represents a status of mental and psychological well-being. The necessity of a healthy functioning digestive system for good mental health has been demonstrated in many studies. The mutual communication and interaction between the brain and the intestines is called the brain-gut axis. All living microorganisms found in the intestines are defined as microbiota. There are neuronal, hormonal, and metabolic pathways between the gut microbiota and the brain that form the brain-gut axis. In addition, the gut microbiota also has regulatory functions on the immune system. It has been thought that the interaction of the gut microenvironment with these pathways and the immune system may play a role in many diseases related to brain health. The role of the microbiota has been shown in studies in psychiatric diseases such as depression and anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, sleep disorders, neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, neuroinflammatory pathogenesis, multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, and even neuropathic pain and migraine headaches. Probiotics are living microorganisms that have beneficial effects on the host. It encourages the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms and prevents pathogenic microorganisms from adhering to the intestines. It is thought that probiotics can be an alternative treatment option in diseases that develop with the role of microbiota due to their potential benefits on intestinal microbiota. There are positive results in this regard, especially in animal experiments. However, studies are still ongoing on which patients, in which doses, and for which durations probiotics will be used in clinical studies. There are also contrary studies; some studies show that probiotics do not have therapeutic effects. The gut microbiome of the brain, which is in direct and indirect interaction with the brain-gut axis, has beneficial effects on mental health. The use of probiotics that will externally modify the gut microbiome, which is accused in the pathophysiology of many diseases, seems to be a promising option in diseases. However, multi-center, longitudinal clinical studies are needed on the use of probiotics in appropriate patients, with appropriate doses and for appropriate durations in the protection of mental health and in brain diseases. In this section, the brain-gut axis, microbiota and related mental diseases, probiotics, and their use for mental health will be discussed.

The Effect of Probiotics on Mental Health

章节
发表日期：

2025年

查看全文

Gülcan Göçmez Yılmaz

摘要

Good mental health represents a status of mental and psychological well-being. The necessity of a healthy functioning digestive system for good mental health has been demonstrated in many studies. The mutual communication and interaction between the brain and the intestines is called the brain-gut axis. All living microorganisms found in the intestines are defined as microbiota. There are neuronal, hormonal, and metabolic pathways between the gut microbiota and the brain that form the brain-gut axis. In addition, the gut microbiota also has regulatory functions on the immune system. It has been thought that the interaction of the gut microenvironment with these pathways and the immune system may play a role in many diseases related to brain health. The role of the microbiota has been shown in studies in psychiatric diseases such as depression and anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, sleep disorders, neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, neuroinflammatory pathogenesis, multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, and even neuropathic pain and migraine headaches. Probiotics are living microorganisms that have beneficial effects on the host. It encourages the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms and prevents pathogenic microorganisms from adhering to the intestines. It is thought that probiotics can be an alternative treatment option in diseases that develop with the role of microbiota due to their potential benefits on intestinal microbiota. There are positive results in this regard, especially in animal experiments. However, studies are still ongoing on which patients, in which doses, and for which durations probiotics will be used in clinical studies. There are also contrary studies; some studies show that probiotics do not have therapeutic effects. The gut microbiome of the brain, which is in direct and indirect interaction with the brain-gut axis, has beneficial effects on mental health. The use of probiotics that will externally modify the gut microbiome, which is accused in the pathophysiology of many diseases, seems to be a promising option in diseases. However, multi-center, longitudinal clinical studies are needed on the use of probiotics in appropriate patients, with appropriate doses and for appropriate durations in the protection of mental health and in brain diseases. In this section, the brain-gut axis, microbiota and related mental diseases, probiotics, and their use for mental health will be discussed.