13 Mar 2023 --- Probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium can interact with major depressive disorder (MDD) and may hold the potential to complement or replace pharmaceutical care for depression, depending on its severity. This is according to a new study published in Nature. The authors demonstrate that prior research has shown gut dysbiosis – an imbalance of gut bacteria – is often present in people struggling with depression. Usually, gut dysbiosis in depressed people includes a lack of microbial diversity and an inversely proportional abundance of pathobionts to beneficial microbiota compared to those not depressed.
