Intestinal microbiota in anxiety and depression

The overall purpose of this study is to review clinical studies involving probiotic supplementation and its effects on mental health in subjects with anxiety and depression. Probiotic supplementation is able to provide benefits on both qualitative and quantitative mental health parameters in anxiety and mood. Even with the limitation of studies regarding the use of probiotics in improving anxiety and depression in humans, most studies have identified positive results, in healthy or unhealthy people. One of the most commonly used probiotics is the genus Bifidobacterium. It has been shown to be efficient in inflammatory disorders, and it has been suggested that this probiotic may have antidepressant properties, since the balance between anti- and pro-inflammatory cytokines plays a relevant role in depression.