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Advanced Neurology

REVIEW ARTICLE
Gut-brain axis in depression: Crosstalk between

neuroinflammation and gut microbiota

1
Yang Cai , Shenyang Zhang , Sibo Zhao , and Honghong Yao 1,3,4 *
1
2
1 Department of Pharmacology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, School
of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
2 Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu,
China
3 Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
4 Institute of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast
University, Nanjing, China

Abstract

Depression is the most common mental disorder and the leading cause of disability
and suicide worldwide. Recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been
a dramatic increase in the number of patients with depression on a global scale.
Therefore, new insights into the underlying pathophysiology of depression are
urgently required to develop more effective therapeutic strategies. An interesting
fact is the coexistence of increased intestinal permeability and disrupted blood-brain
barrier observed in patients with depression and animal models. A growing number
of studies have revealed that a bidirectional interaction exists between the brain and
the gastrointestinal tract, commonly termed the gut-brain axis. Emerging evidence
*Corresponding author: has suggested that the regulation of neuroinflammation and gut homeostasis
Honghong Yao through the gut-brain axis is influenced by stress and depression, in which gut
(yaohh@seu.edu.cn) microbiota and microbe-derived short-chain fatty acids play a crucial role. Here, we
Citation: Cai Y, Zhang S, Zhao S, describe the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the crosstalk between
et al., 2022, Gut-brain axis in neuroinflammation and gut microbiota in depression. We further highlight fecal
depression: Crosstalk between
neuroinflammation and gut microbiota transplantation and dietary supplementation in depression and discuss
microbiota. Adv Neuro, 1(3): 272. their potential as therapeutic targets for depression.
https://doi.org/10.36922/an.v1i3.272
Received: November 22, 2022 Keywords: Depression; Stress; Gut-brain axis; Microbiota; Short-chain fatty acids;
Accepted: December 30, 2022 Neuroinflammation; Nutrients
Published Online: January 16,
2023
Copyright: © 2023 Author(s). 1. Introduction
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution Mental health disorders affect around 15% of the population during their lifetime, with
[1]
License, permitting distribution, depression being one of the most common . As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,
and reproduction in any medium, the number of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) increased by 28%
provided the original work is
[2]
properly cited. in 2020 . Globally, it is estimated that 5% of adults and 5.7% of elderly over the age
Publisher’s Note: AccScience of 60 suffer from depression. Patients with depression may suffer immensely, and in
[3]
Publishing remains neutral with severe conditions, depression may even lead to suicide . The antidepressants that
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional are currently in use include older drug types, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors
affiliations. and tricyclic antidepressants, as well as newer drug types, such as selective serotonin

Volume 1 Issue 3 (2022) 1 https://doi.org/10.36922/an.v1i3.272