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The Gut-Brain Axis: Literature Overview and Psychiatric Applications
Janine Faraj, Varun Takanti, Hamid R Tavakoli. Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS, 2021-08
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
IMPORTANCE: Literature exploring the relationship between the intestinal microbiome and its effects on general health and well-being has grown significantly in recent years, and our knowledge of this subject continues to grow. Mounting evidence indicates that the intestinal microbiome is a potential target for therapeutic intervention in psychiatric illness and in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease. It is reasonable to consider modulating not just a patient's neurochemistry, behavior, or cognitive habits, but also their intestinal microbiome in an effort to improve psychiatric symptoms. OBSERVATIONS: In this review paper, we show that intestinal microbiota possess the ability to directly influence both physical and mental well-being; therefore, should be included in future discussions regarding psychiatric treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians are encouraged to consider patients' gut health when evaluating and treating psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety and depression. Optimization and diversification of gut flora through the use of psychobiotics-probiotics that confer mental health benefits-may soon become standard practice in conjunction with traditional psychiatric treatment modalities such as pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.
Key findings
- IMPORTANCE: Literature exploring the relationship between the intestinal microbiome and its effects on general health and well-being has grown significantly in recent years, and our knowledge of this subject continues to grow.
- Mounting evidence indicates that the intestinal microbiome is a potential target for therapeutic intervention in psychiatric illness and in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / 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, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 23 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 41 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (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 | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation 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 |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34733087) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 23 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 23 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 41 out of 100. |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Faraj, J., Takanti, V., & Tavakoli, H. R. (2021). The Gut-Brain Axis: Literature Overview and Psychiatric Applications. Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS. https://doi.org/10.12788/fp.0159
Vancouver
Faraj J, Takanti V, Tavakoli HR. The Gut-Brain Axis: Literature Overview and Psychiatric Applications. Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS. 2021. doi:10.12788/fp.0159. PMID: 34733087.
BibTeX
@article{faraj2021-34733087,
author = {Faraj, Janine and Takanti, Varun and Tavakoli, Hamid R},
title = {{The Gut-Brain Axis: Literature Overview and Psychiatric Applications}},
journal = {Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.12788/fp.0159},
pmid = {34733087},
url = {https://doi.org/10.12788/fp.0159}
}
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