Gut-brain axis and neuropsychiatric health: recent advances.

The gut–brain axis, a bidirectional communication pathway, permits the central nervous system (CNS) to exert influence over gastrointestinal function in response to stress, while the gut microbiota regulates the CNS via immune, neuroendocrine, and vagal pathways. Current research highlights the importance of the gut microbiota in stress-related disorders and the need for further research into the mechanisms of gut–brain communication, with potential therapeutic implications for a wide range of health conditions. This is a challenge taken on in this Collection on the Gut-Brain Axis.

I "Gut" Rhythm: the microbiota as a modulator of the stress response and circadian rhythms.

Modern habits are becoming more and more disruptive to health. As our days are often filled with circadian disruption and stress exposures, we need to understand how our responses to these external stimuli are shaped and how their mediators can be targeted to promote health. A growing body of research demonstrates the role of the gut microbiota in influencing brain function and behavior.

Precision Psychobiotics for Gut-Brain Axis Health: Advancing the Discovery Pipelines to Deliver Mechanistic Pathways and Proven Health Efficacy.

Advancing microbiome-gut-brain axis science requires systematic, rational and translational approaches to bridge the critical knowledge gaps currently preventing full exploitation of the gut microbiome as a tractable therapeutic target for gastrointestinal, mental and brain health. Current research is still marked by many open questions that undermine widespread application to humans. For example, the lack of mechanistic understanding of probiotic effects means it remains unclear why even apparently closely related strains exhibit different effects in vivo.

The Use of Omics in Untangling the Effect of Lifestyle Factors in Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes: A Systematic Review.

Aim: To synthesise the evidence from clinical trials and observational studies using omics techniques to investigate the impact of diet and lifestyle factors on metabolite profile in pregnancy, and in the prevention and management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Materials And Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Ovid, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases in October 2023 and updated in September 2024. Inclusion criteria were randomised controlled trials (RCT) or non-RCTs in pregnant women with or without GDM, that measured diet and lifestyle factors, and which applied post-transcriptional omics approaches.