Microbial Reprogramming in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders: A Review of Gut-Brain Communication and Emerging Evidence.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Dysbiosis, an imbalance in the gut microbial composition, has been associated with various health conditions, including mental health disorders, autism, and inflammatory diseases. While the exact mechanisms underlying OCD remain unclear, this review presents a growing body of evidence suggesting a potential link between dysbiosis and the multifaceted etiology of OCD, interacting with genetic, neurobiological, immunological, and environmental factors.

Identifying lifestyle factors associated to co-morbidity of obesity and psychiatric disorders, a pilot study.

Obesity and psychiatric disorders are linked through a bidirectional association. Obesity rates have tripled globally in the past decades, and it is predicted that by 2025, one billion people will be affected by obesity, often with a co-morbidity such as depression. While this co-morbidity seems to be a global health issue, lifestyle factors associated to it differ between countries and are often attributed to more than one factor.

EEG Correlates of Middle Eastern Music Improvisations on the Instrument.

The cognitive sciences have witnessed a growing interest in cognitive and neural basis of human creativity. Music improvisations constitute an ideal paradigm to study creativity, but the underlying cognitive processes remain poorly understood. In addition, studies on music improvisations using scales other than the major and minor chords are scarce.

Fecal microbiota transplants: A review of emerging clinical data on applications, efficacy, and risks (2015-2020).

As the importance of the gut microbiota in health and disease is a subject of growing interest, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was suggested as an attractive therapeutic strategy to restore homeostasis of the gut microbiota, thereby treating diseases that were associated with alteration of the gut microbiota. FMT involves the administration of fresh, frozen, or dried fecal microorganisms from the gut of a healthy donor into the intestinal tract of a patient. This rediscovery of the potential benefits of an ancient practice was accompanied by a rapid progression of our understanding of the roles and mechanisms of gut microbes in the pathogenesis of disease.

A Comparative Pilot Study of Bacterial and Fungal Dysbiosis in Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Gastrointestinal Disorders: Commonalities, Specificities and Correlations with Lifestyle.

Gastrointestinal disorders (GIDs) are a common comorbidity in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), while anxiety-like behaviors are common among patients with gastrointestinal diseases. It is still unclear as to which microbes differentiate these two groups. This pilot study aims at proposing an answer by exploring both the bacteriome and the mycobiome in a cohort of 55 volunteers with NDD, GID or controls, while accounting for additional variables that are not commonly included such as probiotic intake and diet.

Targeting the gut microbiome: A brief report on the awareness, practice, and readiness to engage in clinical interventions in Qatar.

Background: There has been a growing global interest in the role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of diseases and the potentials of targeting the microbiome in clinical interventions. Very few clinical studies in Qatar focused on gut microbiome. This study aimed to assess the awareness of healthcare professionals, scientists, and the general public on the role of gut microbiota in health and diseases and, more specifically, in disorders of the gut-brain axis such as neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) or gastrointestinal (GI) disorders.

Epigenetic Effects of Gut Metabolites: Exploring the Path of Dietary Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) has increased over the past half century and has now become the second most frequent autoimmune disease in childhood and one of major public health concern worldwide. Evidence suggests that modern lifestyles and rapid environmental changes are driving factors that underlie this increase. The integration of these two factors brings about changes in food intake.

Importance of Dietary Changes During the Coronavirus Pandemic: How to Upgrade Your Immune Response.

The new coronavirus pandemic continues to spread causing further public health, social, and economic issues. The disparities in the rates of death between countries poses questions about the importance of lifestyle habits and the immune status of populations. An exploration of dietary habits and COVID-19-related death might unravel associations between these two variables.

The Promising Role of Probiotics in Managing the Altered Gut in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) have been reported repeatedly in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and studies have reported interesting correlations between severity of behavioral and gastrointestinal symptoms. Growing evidence indicates that the gut microbiota in ASD is altered with various shifts described at different taxonomic levels, pointing to the importance of considering the gut-brain axis in treatment of these disorders. Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that are ingested as food or customized pills.

The role of gut microbiota in atopic asthma and allergy, implications in the understanding of disease pathogenesis.

Asthma is a clinical syndrome characterized by chronic airway inflammation. There is mounting evidence on the role of microbiota in the development of asthma. This review focuses on the role of microbiota in maintaining the integrity of the epithelia and their role in regulating the immune response.