THE INFLUENCE OF THE GUT MICROBIOTA AND ITS DYSBIOSIS ON MENTAL HEALTH: RELATIONSHIPS WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY DISORDERS AND DEPRESSION (Atena Editora)

Abstract

The intestinal microbiota plays important roles in our bodies, including the production of vitamins (K and B), the maturation of the immune system and the prevention of pathogenic bacteria. In recent years, there has been an increase in studies on the important benefits that the enteric microbiota brings to the nervous system through the gut-brain axis. While the role of the intestinal microbiota in the body's homeostasis is highlighted, its alteration, known as dysbiosis, has been widely studied and related to important changes in the health-disease process, including the role it plays in mental disorders.

Some studies relate dysbiosis to psychological distress, such as some mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, and also to increased susceptibility to stress. Research on the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and mental health has intensified in recent years, but many studies still need to be conducted to better elucidate this important relationship. In view of the above, the present study aims to understand the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and its alteration (dysbiosis) with depression and anxiety, as well as to elucidate the factors that relate stress to alterations in the intestinal microbiota. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, an exploratory qualitative research was carried out through a narrative review of the literature, carried out by searching for publications from the last 10 years, in the PubMed and Scielo databases, in Portuguese and English, using the following descriptors: Intestinal Microbiota, Dysbiosis, Anxiety, Depression and Stress. The selection of studies took into consideration, the relevance and originality of the data obtained, which were analyzed, discussed and used to elucidate the influence of the intestinal microbiota and its dysbiosis on mental health, as well as the factors that promote the balance of this microbiota, leading to new proposals for future studies on the subject.