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Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the disturbance of intestinal microbiota balance has been associated with a number of extraintestinal diseases. An increasing number of studies have described bidirectional communications between the gut and the central nervous system, the so-called “microbiota-gut-brain axis”, bringing to light the influence that microbiota have in the onset and/or progression of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. In view of the ability of probiotics to provide health benefits to the host by restoring the normal microbial population, it is definitely interesting to investigate the potential effect of these beneficial microorganisms and their metabolites in the context of neurologic diseases.

The aim of this Special Issue will be to collect high-quality data from original research papers and reviews that provide new information on the possible involvement of probiotics and their metabolites in modulating the pathogenesis of diseases of the central nervous system, with exciting prospective in preventive and precision medicine.

Dr. Claudia Vuotto
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Probiotics
Probiotic metabolites
Microbiota
Microbiome
Metabolism
Short chain fatty acids
Metabolomics
Metagenomics
Prebiotics
Gut barrier function
Gut–brain axis
Inflammation
Neurodegenerative disease
Neuropsychiatric disorders

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 2229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Delivery of Metabolically Neuroactive Probiotics to the Human Gut

by Peter A. Bron, Marta Catalayud, Massimo Marzorati, Marco Pane, Ece Kartal, Raja Dhir and Gregor Reid

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9122; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22179122 - 24 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3680

Abstract

The human microbiome is a rich factory for metabolite production and emerging data has led to the concept that orally administered microbial strains can synthesize metabolites with neuroactive potential. Recent research from ex vivo and murine models suggests translational potential for microbes to regulate anxiety and depression through the gut-brain axis. However, so far, less emphasis has been placed on the selection of specific microbial strains known to produce the required key metabolites and the formulation in which microbial compositions are delivered to the gut. Here, we describe a double-capsule technology to deliver high numbers of metabolically active cells derived from the 24-strain probiotic product SH-DS01 to the gastrointestinal tract, including the small intestine, where immune responses and adsorption of metabolites into the bloodstream occur. Based on its genome sequence, Limosilactobacillus reuteri SD-LRE2-IT was predicted to have the genetic capacity to de novo produce a specific metabolite of interest to brain health, vitamin B12, which could be confirmed in vitro. Taken together, our data conceptualizes the importance of rationally defined microbial strain characterization based on genomics and metabolomics data, combined with carefully designed capsule technology for delivery of live cells and concomitant functionality in and beyond the gut ecosystem. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Probiotics and Their Metabolites in Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Disorders)

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Review

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19 pages, 993 KiB

Open AccessReview

Gut Microbiota and Bipolar Disorder: An Overview on a Novel Biomarker for Diagnosis and Treatment

by Lorenza Lucidi, Mauro Pettorruso, Federica Vellante, Francesco Di Carlo, Franca Ceci, Maria Chiara Santovito, Ilenia Di Muzio, Michele Fornaro, Antonio Ventriglio, Carmine Tomasetti, Alessandro Valchera, Alessandro Gentile, Yong-Ku Kim, Giovanni Martinotti, Silvia Fraticelli, Massimo Di Giannantonio and Domenico De Berardis

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(7), 3723; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22073723 - 02 Apr 2021

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 6818

Abstract

The gut microbiota is the set of microorganisms that colonize the gastrointestinal tract of living creatures, establishing a bidirectional symbiotic relationship that is essential for maintaining homeostasis, for their growth and digestive processes. Growing evidence supports its involvement in the intercommunication system between the gut and the brain, so that it is called the gut–brain–microbiota axis. It is involved in the regulation of the functions of the Central Nervous System (CNS), behavior, mood and anxiety and, therefore, its implication in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. In this paper, we focused on the possible correlations between the gut microbiota and Bipolar Disorder (BD), in order to determine its role in the pathogenesis and in the clinical management of BD. Current literature supports a possible relationship between the compositional alterations of the intestinal microbiota and BD. Moreover, due to its impact on psychopharmacological treatment absorption, by acting on the composition of the microbiota beneficial effects can be obtained on BD symptoms. Finally, we discussed the potential of correcting gut microbiota alteration as a novel augmentation strategy in BD. Future studies are necessary to better clarify the relevance of gut microbiota alterations as state and disease biomarkers of BD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Probiotics and Their Metabolites in Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Disorders)

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