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Human oral microbiome and its influence on mental health and brain disorders
Alejandro Borrego-Ruiz, Juan J Borrego. AIMS microbiology, 2025-04-14
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
Plain-language summary
The human oral microbiome can affect brain functions directly through the trigeminal nerve and olfactory system and indirectly via the oral-gut-brain axis. However, the potential link between the oral microbiome and mental health remains an area that requires further investigation. Taking into consideration that gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a role in the onset and progression of several mental disorders, as well as the potential influence of the oral microbiome on mental health via direct pathways, the present narrative review explores the role of the human oral microbiome in health and disease, along with the factors that affect its composition, with a particular focus on its potential impact on mental health, including its involvement in a range of mental disorders and brain-related conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression, stress, bipolar disorder, Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. Chronic oral diseases can impair the oral mucosal barrier, allowing microorganisms and endotoxins to enter the bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation, and affecting the blood-brain barrier. This pathway can lead to neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction and contribute to adverse mental health effects. Additionally, translocation of oral bacteria to the gut can drive persistent inflammation and thereby affect brain health. Multiple studies suggest a potential relationship between the oral microbiome and several mental disorders, but further research is needed to strengthen the evidence surrounding these associations and to fully clarify the underlying mechanisms linking the oral microbiome to these conditions. Given the promising implications, future research should focus on elucidating the biological mechanisms through which alterations in the oral microbiome influence the development and progression of determinate neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Additionally, identifying reliable biomarkers linked to the oral microbiome could enhance early detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of these conditions.
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APA 7th
Borrego-Ruiz, A., & Borrego, J. J. (2025). Human oral microbiome and its influence on mental health and brain disorders. AIMS microbiology. https://doi.org/10.3934/microbiol.2025013
Vancouver
Borrego-Ruiz A, Borrego JJ. Human oral microbiome and its influence on mental health and brain disorders. AIMS microbiology. 2025. doi:10.3934/microbiol.2025013. PMID: 40600213.
BibTeX
@article{borregoruiz2025-40600213,
author = {Borrego-Ruiz, Alejandro and Borrego, Juan J},
title = {{Human oral microbiome and its influence on mental health and brain disorders}},
journal = {AIMS microbiology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3934/microbiol.2025013},
pmid = {40600213},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3934/microbiol.2025013}
}
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Key findings
- This pathway can lead to neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction and contribute to adverse mental health effects.
- Additionally, translocation of oral bacteria to the gut can drive persistent inflammation and thereby affect brain health.
- Multiple studies suggest a potential relationship between the oral microbiome and several mental disorders, but further research is needed to strengthen the evidence surrounding these associations and to fully clarify the underlying mechanisms linking the oral microbiome to these conditions.
- Given the promising implications, future research should focus on elucidating the biological mechanisms through which alterations in the oral microbiome influence the development and progression of determinate neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.
- Additionally, identifying reliable biomarkers linked to the oral microbiome could enhance early detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of these conditions.
Study details
- Study designnarrative review
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multicenter collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 24 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 43 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (AIMS microbiology) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | Design recorded as “narrative review”, which our rubric does not rank (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40600213) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 24 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 24 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 43 out of 100. |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
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