Targeting Cognitive Resilience through Prebiotics: A Focused Perspective.

This perspective article is a product of the work of an expert group within the Prebiotic Task Force convened by the International Life Sciences Institute Europe, a non-profit organization that brings together experts from academia, industry, and public service to catalyze nutrition science for public benefit. An expert group was conceived in October 2023 to discuss the evidence base on the use of prebiotics to promote cognitive functioning, with a focus on highlighting knowledge gaps and proposing a list of recommendations to guide this specific area of research forward. To address this, we evaluated existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses of human intervention studies that examine the effects of prebiotics on cognitive functioning.

Diet quality and anxiety: a critical overview with focus on the gut microbiome.

Anxiety disorders disproportionally affect females and are frequently comorbid with eating disorders. With the emerging field of nutritional psychiatry, focus has been put on the impact of diet quality in anxiety pathophysiology and gut microbiome underlying mechanisms. While the relationship between diet and anxiety is bidirectional, improving dietary habits could better facilitate the actions of pharmacological and psychological therapies, or prevent their use.

Excitatory and inhibitory neurochemical markers of anxiety in young females.

Between the ages of 10-25 years the maturing brain is sensitive to a multitude of changes, including neurochemical variations in metabolites. Of the different metabolites, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has long been linked neurobiologically to anxiety symptomology, which begins to manifest in adolescence. To prevent persistent anxiety difficulties into adulthood, we need to understand the maturational trajectories of neurochemicals and how these relate to anxiety levels during this sensitive period.

A Systematic Review of Psychobiotic Interventions in Children and Adolescents to Enhance Cognitive Functioning and Emotional Behavior.

This systematic review brings together human psychobiotic interventions in children and adolescents (aged 6-25 years) to evaluate the efficacy of pre- and probiotic supplements on stress, anxiety, and cognitive outcomes. Psychobiotic interventions in animal studies highlighted sensitivity to effects during development and maturation in multiple domains from emotion to cognitive processing. Several translational psychobiotic interventions in humans have been carried out to assess effects on emotion and cognition during childhood and into adulthood.

The effect of parietal glutamate/GABA balance on test anxiety levels in early childhood in a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

The increased prevalence of test anxiety in our competitive society makes it a health issue of public concern. However, its neurobiological basis, especially during the years of formal education, is currently scant. Previous research has highlighted the association between neural excitation/inhibition balance and psychopathology and disease.

Nutrient Intake and Gut Microbial Genera Changes after a 4-Week Placebo Controlled Galacto-Oligosaccharides Intervention in Young Females.

Recent interest in the gut-brain-axis has highlighted the potential of prebiotics to impact wellbeing, and to affect behavioral change in humans. In this clinical trial, we examined the impact of four-weeks daily supplementation of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) on self-reported nutrient intake and relationships on gut microbiota in a four-week two-armed parallel double-blind placebo controlled GOS supplement trial in young adult females. Food diaries and stool samples were collected prior to and following 28 days of supplement consumption.

Predicting learning and achievement using GABA and glutamate concentrations in human development.

Previous research has highlighted the role of glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in learning and plasticity. What is currently unknown is how this knowledge translates to real-life complex cognitive abilities that emerge slowly and how the link between these neurotransmitters and human learning and plasticity is shaped by development. While some have suggested a generic role of glutamate and GABA in learning and plasticity, others have hypothesized that their involvement shapes sensitive periods during development.

Intrinsic functional connectivity in families genetically enriched for social anxiety disorder - an endophenotype study.

Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a serious psychiatric condition with a high prevalence, and a typical onset during childhood/adolescence. The condition runs in families, but it is largely unknown which neurobiological characteristics transfer this genetic vulnerability ('endophenotypes'). Using data from the Leiden Family Lab study on SAD, including two generations of families genetically enriched for SAD, we investigated whether social anxiety (SA) co-segregated with changes in intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC), and examined heritability.

Psychobiotic interventions for anxiety in young people: a systematic review and meta-analysis, with youth consultation.

The human gut microbiome influence on brain function and mental health is an emerging area of intensive research. Animal and human research indicates adolescence as a sensitive period when the gut-brain axis is fine-tuned, where dietary interventions to change the microbiome may have long-lasting consequences for mental health. This study reports a systematic review and meta-analysis of microbiota-targeted (psychobiotics) interventions on anxiety in youth, with discussion of a consultation on the acceptability of psychobiotic interventions for mental health management amongst youth with lived experience.

Khat and neurobehavioral functions: A systematic review.

Background: Khat is a plant that is used for its amphetamine-like stimulant properties. However, although khat is very popular in Eastern Africa, Arabian Peninsula, and the Middle East, there is still a lack of studies researching the possible neurobehavioral impairment derived from khat use.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify studies that assessed the effects of khat use on neurobehavioral functions.

Predictors of real-time fMRI neurofeedback performance and improvement - A machine learning mega-analysis.

Real-time fMRI neurofeedback is an increasingly popular neuroimaging technique that allows an individual to gain control over his/her own brain signals, which can lead to improvements in behavior in healthy participants as well as to improvements of clinical symptoms in patient populations. However, a considerably large ratio of participants undergoing neurofeedback training do not learn to control their own brain signals and, consequently, do not benefit from neurofeedback interventions, which limits clinical efficacy of neurofeedback interventions. As neurofeedback success varies between studies and participants, it is important to identify factors that might influence neurofeedback success.

Anxiolytic effects of a galacto-oligosaccharides prebiotic in healthy females (18-25 years) with corresponding changes in gut bacterial composition.

Current research implicates pre- and probiotic supplementation as a potential tool for improving symptomology in physical and mental ailments, which makes it an attractive concept for clinicians and consumers alike. Here we focus on the transitional period of late adolescence and early adulthood during which effective interventions, such as nutritional supplementation to influence the gut microbiota, have the potential to offset health-related costs in later life. We examined multiple indices of mood and well-being in 64 healthy females in a 4-week double blind, placebo controlled galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) prebiotic supplement intervention and obtained stool samples at baseline and follow-up for gut microbiota sequencing and analyses.

Nutritional Support of Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Function in Infants and Young Children-An Update and Novel Insights.

Proper nutrition is crucial for normal brain and neurocognitive development. Failure to optimize neurodevelopment early in life can have profound long-term implications for both mental health and quality of life. Although the first 1000 days of life represent the most critical period of neurodevelopment, the central and peripheral nervous systems continue to develop and change throughout life.

Training negative connectivity patterns between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and amygdala through fMRI-based neurofeedback to target adolescent socially-avoidant behaviour.

Social anxiety is prevalent in adolescence. Given its role in maintaining fears, reducing social avoidance through cognitive reappraisal may help attenuate social anxiety. We used fMRI-based neurofeedback (NF) to increase 'adaptive' patterns of negative connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the amygdala to change reappraisal ability, and alter social avoidance and approach behaviours in adolescents.

Can we predict real-time fMRI neurofeedback learning success from pretraining brain activity?

Neurofeedback training has been shown to influence behavior in healthy participants as well as to alleviate clinical symptoms in neurological, psychosomatic, and psychiatric patient populations. However, many real-time fMRI neurofeedback studies report large inter-individual differences in learning success. The factors that cause this vast variability between participants remain unknown and their identification could enhance treatment success.

Training the anxious brain: using fMRI-based neurofeedback to change brain activity in adolescence.

Anxiety disorders are a leading cause of morbidity and entail a lot of costs. Adolescence is characterized by social fears and poor emotion regulation abilities which together increase the likelihood of the emergence of anxiety disorders. This emotion dysregulation is potentially caused by the emotion regulating brain areas, such as the prefrontal cortex and temporal cortex, that are still undergoing developmental changes throughout late adolescence.

Modulatory effects of dynamic fMRI-based neurofeedback on emotion regulation networks in adolescent females.

Research has shown that difficulties with emotion regulation abilities in childhood and adolescence increase the risk for developing symptoms of mental disorders, e.g anxiety. We investigated whether functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-based neurofeedback (NF) can modulate brain networks supporting emotion regulation abilities in adolescent females.

Current progress in real-time functional magnetic resonance-based neurofeedback: Methodological challenges and achievements.

Neurofeedback (NF) is a research and clinical technique, characterized by live demonstration of brain activation to the subject. The technique has become increasingly popular as a tool for the training of brain self-regulation, fueled by the superiority in spatial resolution and fidelity brought along with real-time analysis of fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) data, compared to the more traditional EEG (electroencephalography) approach. NF learning is a complex phenomenon and a controversial discussion on its feasibility and mechanisms has arisen in the literature.

Publisher Correction: Process-based framework for precise neuromodulation.

The original and corrected figures, and the Editorial Summary, are shown in the accompanying Publisher Correction.An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Publisher Correction: Process-based framework for precise neuromodulation.

The original and corrected text is shown in the accompanying Publisher Correction.

Process-based framework for precise neuromodulation.

Functional MRI neurofeedback (NF) allows humans to self-modulate neural patterns in specific brain areas. This technique is regarded as a promising tool to translate neuroscientific knowledge into brain-guided psychiatric interventions. However, its clinical implementation is restricted by unstandardized methodological practices, by clinical definitions that are poorly grounded in neurobiology, and by lack of a unifying framework that dictates experimental choices.

A systematic review of the psychological factors that influence neurofeedback learning outcomes.

Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-based neurofeedback represents the latest applied behavioural neuroscience methodology developed to train participants in the self-regulation of brain regions or networks. However, as with previous biofeedback approaches which rely on electroencephalography (EEG) or related approaches such as brain-machine interface technology (BCI), individual success rates vary significantly, and some participants never learn to control their brain responses at all. Given that these approaches are often being developed for eventual use in a clinical setting (albeit there is also significant interest in using NF for neuro-enhancement in typical populations), this represents a significant hurdle which requires more research.

Subclinically Anxious Adolescents Do Not Display Attention Biases When Processing Emotional Faces - An Eye-Tracking Study.

Recent research suggests that early difficulties with emotion regulation go along with an increased risk for developing psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety disorders for example. Adolescent anxiety is often referred to as a gateway disorder, due to its high predictability for lifelong persistent mental health problems. It has been shown that clinically anxious adolescents exhibit attention biases toward negative stimuli, yet whether these biases can also be found in the subclinical range of subclinically anxious adolescents is currently unclear.

When change is the only constant: The promise of longitudinal neuroimaging in understanding social anxiety disorder.

Longitudinal studies offer a unique window into developmental change. Yet, most of what we know about the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders is based on cross-sectional work. Here, we highlight the importance of adopting a longitudinal approach in order to make progress towards identifying the neurobiological mechanisms of social anxiety disorder (SAD).