Although depression is often linked to digestive disorders, the biological connection behind this phenomenon has remained unclear.
A recent genome-wide association study analyzed genetic data from hundreds of thousands of people to explore potential links between major depressive disorder (MDD) and gastrointestinal conditions such as peptic ulcers (mainly caused by H. pylori infection), acid reflux, irritable bowel disease, and inflammatory bowel disease.
The researchers found that depression shares genetic risk factors with most digestive disorders, meaning that some of the same genes and genetic regions influence both mental and gut health. The study also suggested that genetic susceptibility to certain gut conditions may increase the risk of depression, once again highlighting the strong gut-brain connection.
These findings could help scientists better understand the gut-brain connection and may point to new ways to treat gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with depression.
Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.01.048
Reference
Zhou, S., Zi, J., Hu, Y., Wang, X., Cheng, G., & Xiong, J. (2025). Genetic correlation, pleiotropic loci and shared risk genes between major depressive disorder and gastrointestinal tract disorders. Journal of affective disorders, 374, 84–90.