Role of the Intestinal Microbiota in the Genesis of Major Depression and the Response to Antidepressant Drug Therapy: A Narrative Review.

A major depressive disorder is a serious mental illness characterized by a pervasive low mood that negatively concerns personal life, work life, or education, affecting millions of people worldwide. To date, due to the complexity of the disease, the most common and effective treatments consist of a multi-therapy approach, including psychological, social, and pharmacological support with antidepressant drugs. In general, antidepressants are effective in correcting chemical imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain, but recent evidence has underlined the pivotal role of gut microbiota (GM) also in the regulation of their pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, through indirect or direct mechanisms.

Chronic Systemic Low-Grade Inflammation and Modern Lifestyle: The Dark Role of Gut Microbiota on Related Diseases with a Focus on COVID-19 Pandemic.

Inflammation is a physiological, beneficial, and auto-limiting response of the host to alarming stimuli. Conversely, a chronic systemic low-grade inflammation (CSLGI), known as a long-time persisting condition, causes damage to the organs and host tissues, representing a major risk for chronic diseases. Currently, a high global incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases is observed, often linked to the lifestyle-related changes that occurred in the last decade.

Microbiota shaping - the effects of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplant on cognitive functions: A systematic review.

Background: Dementia is a chronic progressive neurological disease affecting millions of people worldwide, and represents a relevant economic burden for healthcare systems. Although its pathogenesis is still unknown, recent findings have reported that a dysregulated gut-brain axis communication, a fundamental relationship mediated by several host and microbial molecules, is associated with cognitive disorders. In addition, gut microbiota manipulation reduces neuroinflammation, improving cognitive function by restoring the functional gut-brain axis.

Effect of Probiotics on Oral Candidiasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Oral candidiasis (OC) is an increasing health problem due to the introduction of new drugs, population aging, and increasing prevalence of chronic illness. This study systematically reviews the effects of the oral intake of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on spp. counts (colony-forming units (CFU)/mL) in oral and palatal samples.