Date of Award
Spring 2022
Degree Name
Master of Medical Science (Physician Assistant)
Department
Physician Assistant; College of Health Sciences
First Advisor
Zachary Weik
Abstract
Introduction: Depression affects over 21 million adults in the United States and continues to rise, affecting more people due to the recent pandemic. Because the prevalence of this debilitating mental health disease is increasing, it is even more crucial to find additional therapeutic treatments to alleviate depressive symptoms in adults whose depression is not controlled on current anti-depressant medication or therapy. Depression has been shown to be linked to the gut-brain axis, meaning gut health is connected to our mental health. Therefore, probiotics may be effective in altering the gut microbiome, and ultimately affecting cognitive patterns in the brain.
Methods: A literature search was completed using several databases including PubMed, ClinicalKey, Academic Search Ultimate, and Science Direct in December 2021. A total of nine randomized clinical trials were selected based off several inclusion criteria described below and critically appraised to analyze the integrity of study design, the validity of results, and potential translation of the conclusions.
Results: The majority of articles reported a significant decrease in self-reported and clinician-reported depressive symptoms based off of several depression scales between the intervention and control groups. Only a select number of articles that analyzed changes in blood biomarkers and fecal microbiota samples saw significant change in microbiota diversity before and after the intervention.
Conclusion: There is promise that probiotics may help regulate the gut microbiome, ultimately affecting cognitive processing and the expression of depressive symptoms. Given the increase of depression worldwide and how devastating this disease can be, the potential of probiotics as therapeutic treatment for depression should not be overlooked and potentially be incorporated into patient education in the clinical setting.
Recommended Citation
Rees, Brianna, "The Effectiveness of Probiotics in Adults with Depressive Symptoms" (2022). Capstone Showcase. 37.
https://scholarworks.arcadia.edu/showcase/2022/pa/37
Included in
The Effectiveness of Probiotics in Adults with Depressive Symptoms
Introduction: Depression affects over 21 million adults in the United States and continues to rise, affecting more people due to the recent pandemic. Because the prevalence of this debilitating mental health disease is increasing, it is even more crucial to find additional therapeutic treatments to alleviate depressive symptoms in adults whose depression is not controlled on current anti-depressant medication or therapy. Depression has been shown to be linked to the gut-brain axis, meaning gut health is connected to our mental health. Therefore, probiotics may be effective in altering the gut microbiome, and ultimately affecting cognitive patterns in the brain.
Methods: A literature search was completed using several databases including PubMed, ClinicalKey, Academic Search Ultimate, and Science Direct in December 2021. A total of nine randomized clinical trials were selected based off several inclusion criteria described below and critically appraised to analyze the integrity of study design, the validity of results, and potential translation of the conclusions.
Results: The majority of articles reported a significant decrease in self-reported and clinician-reported depressive symptoms based off of several depression scales between the intervention and control groups. Only a select number of articles that analyzed changes in blood biomarkers and fecal microbiota samples saw significant change in microbiota diversity before and after the intervention.
Conclusion: There is promise that probiotics may help regulate the gut microbiome, ultimately affecting cognitive processing and the expression of depressive symptoms. Given the increase of depression worldwide and how devastating this disease can be, the potential of probiotics as therapeutic treatment for depression should not be overlooked and potentially be incorporated into patient education in the clinical setting.