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A new study aims to explore the pathophysiological role of inflammation and gut microbiota in mood disorders, particularly depression, and to assess their therapeutic implications in a cohort of the Lebanese population. 

In recent years, the gut-brain axis has received increasing attention for its significant contribution to health and disease. Regarding the gut, dysbiosis has been associated with chronic inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, cancer, and behavioral disorders. However, the role of gut dysbiosis in mood disorders remains poorly understood. It has been proposed that dysbiosis may induce or promote neuroinflammation and impact behavior and mood in both humans and animal models. 

Furthermore, inflammation has also been shown to be associated with – and possibly a driving factor in – mood disorders through several mechanisms. 

Taken together, this study aims to explore the pathophysiological role of inflammation and gut microbiota in mood disorders, particularly depression, and to assess their therapeutic implications in a cohort of the Lebanese population. The specific objectives of the study are:

The specific objectives of the study are as follows: 

• The generation of metagenomics data from the gut microbiota of Lebanese patients diagnosed with depressive disorders versus healthy individuals and the detection of a specific bacterial signature.
• The assessment of blood inflammatory markers in target patients compared to healthy controls.
• The evaluation of the effect of probiotic intake (Cerebiome®, Lallemand, Canada) on depressive patients and the inflammatory markers.

 

A total of 50 patients currently experiencing a major depressive episode (MDD), admitted to Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital and diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), were included. Fifty healthy individuals were recruited as controls. 

Blood samples (serum) will be used to measure inflammatory markers including CRP, IL-6, and cortisol. Gut microbiota DNA (16S rRNA sequencing) will be analyzed in depressed patients before and after probiotic treatment, as well as in the healthy control group. 

This study was registered as a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial on ClinicalTrials.gov under the ID number NCT05646784. We are currently in the final phase of the study, awaiting the results of the DNA sequencing. 

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