Gut-brain axis shift is needed in depression research, experts say

Scientists have high-tech tools to understand the biological factors that underly depression—from gut bacteria to genetics. But they have yet to be integrated in an effective manner, according to leading researchers.

“It is time for a paradigm shift in psychiatry,” two UT Southwestern experts write in a commentary published in Cell Reports Medicine.

Dr. Jane Foster, a UT Southwestern neuroscientist who co-authored the piece, has contributed intriguing findings to the nascent understanding of how gut bacteria contribute to depression symptoms such as anxiety and lack of sleep. She calls for a wide array of omic tools to be integrated into research projects across the country so scientists can learn why these links exist.

Researchers have established several omic approaches—from genetics to the study of metabolites—to understand biological molecules. The commentary calls for a multi-omic approach in which the microbiome and the gut-brain axis are integrated in study designs to develop a fuller picture of the biological processes involved in depression. Doing so would help scientists identify depression subgroups—based on objective biomarkers—that could lead to therapies that target the root causes in particular patients.