Butterflies in the gut: the interplay between intestinal microbiota and stress

• Published in: Journal of biomedical science Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 92 - 44
• Main Authors: Lai, Tzu-Ting, Liou, Chia-Wei, Tsai, Yu-Hsuan, Lin, Yuan-Yuan, Wu, Wei-Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 28.11.2023; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Animals; Autonomic nervous system; Bacteria; Behavior; Brain; Butterflies; Butterflies & moths; Corticosterone; Digestive system; Dysbacteriosis; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Gastrointestinal tract; Glucocorticoids; Gut-brain axis; Humans; Hypothalamus; Intestinal microflora; Intestinal steroidogenesis; Intestine; Mental disorders; Mental illness; Microbiome; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Microorganisms; Neural circuitry; Neurons; Psychological stress; Review; Signal transduction; Social interaction; Stress; Stress response; Probiotic; Microbiota; Autonomic nervous system; Corticosterone; Neural circuits; Gut-brain axis; Prebiotic; Intestinal steroidogenesis; Stress; Microbiome
• ISSN: 1423-0127; 1021-7770; 1423-0127
• DOI: 10.1186/s12929-023-00984-6

Psychological stress is a global issue that affects at least one-third of the population worldwide and increases the risk of numerous psychiatric disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut and its inhabiting microbes may regulate stress and stress-associated behavioral abnormalities. Hence, the objective of this review is to explore the causal relationships between the gut microbiota, stress, and behavior. Dysbiosis of the microbiome after stress exposure indicated microbial adaption to stressors. Strikingly, the hyperactivated stress signaling found in microbiota-deficient rodents can be normalized by microbiota-based treatments, suggesting that gut microbiota can actively modify the stress response. Microbiota can regulate stress response via intestinal glucocorticoids or autonomic nervous system. Several studies suggest that gut bacteria are involved in the direct modulation of steroid synthesis and metabolism. This review provides recent discoveries on the pathways by which gut microbes affect stress signaling and brain circuits and ultimately impact the host’s complex behavior.