Tag: Depression

Regulatory Effects of Probiotics on Anxiety and Depression‑Like Behaviors in H. pylori‑Infected Rats

In a recent experimental study, researchers used rats to explore whether the use of probiotics such as Lactobacillus can mitigate anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, counteracting the psychological and biological effects of H. pylori infection. Infected rats were treated with each probiotic alone or with the combination, and were then evaluated using standard behavioral tests for anxiety and depression.

Both probiotics, especially when co-administered, reversed the depressive and anxiogenic effects induced by H. pylori. Probiotic supplementation also corrected several brain changes linked to H. pylori, including oxidative stress, inflammation, reduced BDNF/serotonin, and elevated corticosterone.

The findings suggest that multi-strain probiotics may help manage psychiatric symptoms associated with H. pylori infection, and that they merit further clinical evaluation in patients with psychiatric comorbidities.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12602-025-10674-4

Reference

Ahmadi-Soleimani, S.M., Masoudi, M., Tabrizi, A.M.A. et al. Regulatory Effects of Probiotics on Anxiety and Depression-Like Behaviors in H. pylori-Infected Rats. Probiotics & Antimicro. Prot. (2025)
Genetic correlation, pleiotropic loci and shared risk genes between major depressive disorder and gastrointestinal tract disorders

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.
Association of Helicobacter pylori Infection with Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The association between Helicobacter pylori infection and depression and anxiety has been reported in the literature.

A meta-analysis was developed in 2024 with the aim of investigating the association between H. pylori infection with these mental health conditions. The systematic search was conducted not only in international sources such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase, but also in Chinese databases, and looked for observational studies that reported the incidence or prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with H. pylori infection.

Surprisingly, while the findings of this analysis showed a significant positive association between the bacteria and anxiety disorders, the association with depression appeared to be insignificant. Nevertheless, this finding seems to imply that clinicians treating H. pylori patients should also address their psychological well-being.

Learn more about this review here: https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/9247586

Reference

Li, Lu, Ren, Yadi, Wang, Zeyu, Niu, Yanqing, Zhao, Ying, Aihaiti, Xiaherezhati, Ji, Yinglan, Li, Man, Association of Helicobacter pylori Infection with Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2024, 9247586, 9 pages, 2024.
Investigating the synergistic effects of amitriptyline and H. pylori eradication on depressive-like behaviors and inflammatory cytokines in mice

Recent research has highlighted the potential role of Helicobacter pylori in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. In this experimental study, researchers used mice to explore whether combining amitriptyline with H. pylori eradication therapy produced greater benefits than either treatment alone.

Male mice were firstly allocated into four groups: healthy controls, H. pylori-infected mice, mice receiving antidepressant treatment only, and mice receiving both antidepressant and eradication therapy.

The initial findings confirmed that H. pylori infection induced depression-like behaviors in mice. In addition, while the use of antidepressants alone slightly improved these depression-like behaviors, it was the combination of antidepressants and bacterial eradication therapy that induced a more significant improvement in these symptoms. The combined treatment also appears to have led to an improvement in the psychomotor function of the animals.

Inflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)) are usually released in response to Helicobacter colonization and tissue damage, leading to a chronic state of inflammation, but are also associated with depression-like behaviors in humans and animal models, behaviors that have been shown to be attenuated by the use of antidepressants. In this study, researchers found that not only was H. pylori infection associated with changes in inflammatory cytokine levels, but that these alterations were partially reversed when both therapies were used together.

Overall, the findings suggest that targeting both infection and mood symptoms simultaneously may offer enhanced behavioral and anti-inflammatory benefits compared to isolated treatment approaches.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114552

Reference

Miao Xu and Hua Fan, “Investigating the synergistic effects of amitriptyline and H. pylori eradication on depressive-like behaviors and inflammatory cytokines in mice”, Physiology & Behavior, Volume 281, 1 July 2024, 114552
Value of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial fibrillary acidic protein for detecting depression in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection

Depression is often associated with Helicobacter pylori and the success of its treatment.

In this recent research paper, it was shown that people infected with these bacteria have lower levels of BDNF (a brain health marker considered a promising biomarker of depression) and higher levels of GFAP (a protein known as a marker of astroglia pathology in depression) in their blood, a change that is strongly related to depression symptoms. The researchers also found that a combined marker including BDNF, GFAP, gut hormone levels, and gastrointestinal symptoms scores was able to accurately predict depression in infected patients.

These findings suggest that these markers could be used to detect depression in people with H. pylori infection.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2024.137687

Reference

Zhao, E., Yu, Q., Wang, M., Wang, Z., Jiang, B., Ma, X., Zhou, B., Dai, Q., Li, J., Wang, S., Chen, F., & Yang, X. (2024). Value of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial fibrillary acidic protein for detecting depression in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection. Neuroscience letters, 825, 137687.
Neuromodulating agents in functional dyspepsia: a comprehensive review

Functional dyspepsia is a frequent chronic condition characterized by upper abdominal discomfort without an identifiable organic cause. Usual first-line treatments include proton pump inhibitors or Helicobacter pylori eradication, but many patients continue to have persistent symptoms. Because of this, neuromodulating agents are frequently used in clinical practice, although current European, American and Canadian guidelines primarily mention tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).

This review analyzed randomized controlled trials in adults meeting Rome criteria or with normal endoscopy findings. Out of 386 studies screened, 14 met inclusion criteria.

The findings indicate that TCAs, such as amitriptyline and imipramine, show the strongest evidence of benefit for symptom relief in functional dyspepsia. Other agents, including tetracyclic antidepressants, levosulpiride, and anxiolytics, may be helpful, but current data are insufficient to draw firm conclusions. By contrast, SSRIs and SNRIs do not appear effective for this condition.

Learn more about this review here: https://doi.org/10.51821/86.1.10998

Reference

Bosman, L., Wauters, L., & Vanuytsel, T. (2023). Neuromodulating agents in functional dyspepsia: a comprehensive review. Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica, 86(1), 49–57
Helicobacter Pylori Associated Depression among Patients Presenting with Epigastric Pain

Helicobacter pylori infection is an extremely prevalent infection that has been connected not only to a number of illnesses such as stomach cancer and peptic ulcer disease. H. pylori has also been linked to depression but the mechanisms behind this connection are still poorly understood.

A research study by Mohamed and colleagues aimed to better explore this relation by assessing the presence and severity of depression in 150 patients with or without H. pylori infection.

When comparing both groups, the authors found that H. pylori infection was significantly associated with depression and, more interestingly, with its severity. These findings point to the importance of assessing the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms or dyspepsia in patients with depression.

Learn more about this study here: https://healthcitizens.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Mohamed-and-Elrassas_Helicobacter-Pylori-.pdf

Reference

Dina M. Mohamed and Hanan Elrassas, “Helicobacter Pylori Associated Depression among Patients Presenting with Epigastric Pain”, The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine (January 2023) Vol. 90 (2), Page 2315-2320
Depression among people with dyspepsia and H. pylori infection: A community based cross-sectional study in Ethiopia

A 2022 community-based study in southwest Ethiopia explored potential links between Helicobacter pylori infection, dyspepsia, and depression in residents aged 13 years and older.

Among the 871 participants – most of whom were married, had no formal education, and lived in rural areas – around 11% showed signs of probable depression. The prevalence was slightly higher (13%) among those experiencing at least one symptom of dyspepsia. Interestingly, in this study, H. pylori infection alone was not linked to higher depression rates, nor were age or gender.

The findings suggest digestive symptoms may increase the risk of depression, highlighting the importance of addressing both mental and gut health when managing gastrointestinal symptoms.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275424

Reference

Soboka, M., Gudina, E. K., Gashaw, M., Amare, H., Berhane, M., Desalegn, H., Tewolde, D., Jebena, M. G., Ali, S., Wieser, A., Froeschl, G., & Tesfaye, M. (2022). Depression among people with dyspepsia and H. pylori infection: A community based cross-sectional study in Ethiopia. PloS one, 17(10), e0275424.
Rapamycin Attenuates Anxiety and Depressive Behavior Induced by Helicobacter pylori in Association with Reduced Circulating Levels of Ghrelin

In this experimental study, researchers investigated how H. pylori infection influences depression-like behavior and certain biological markers in mice, focusing especially on the hormone ghrelin.

Mice infected with the bacteria showed more anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in standard laboratory tests compared with healthy mice. They moved less, showed more signs of stress, and had lower preference for sweet solutions, a common indicator of loss of pleasure.
Biologically, H. pylori infection led to reduced circulating ghrelin levels and activation of the mTOR signaling pathway in the stomach. It was also associated with increased markers of brain inflammation and cell injury in the hippocampus, a brain region important for mood regulation. When mice were treated with rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, ghrelin levels increased and brain-inflammation markers were reduced.

Overall, the study suggests that H. pylori infection may contribute to anxiety- and depression-like behaviors by lowering ghrelin levels and increasing neuroinflammation, highlighting a potential biological link between gut infection and mental health.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2847672

Reference

Tian, Jiageng, Wang, Zeyu, Ren, Yadi, Jiang, Yong, Zhao, Ying, Li, Man, Zhang, Zhiguang, Rapamycin Attenuates Anxiety and Depressive Behavior Induced by Helicobacter pylori in Association with Reduced Circulating Levels of Ghrelin, Neural Plasticity, 2022, 2847672, 8 pages, 2022.
Increased risk of short-term depressive disorder after Helicobacter pylori eradication: A population-based nested cohort study

A study using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance data found that antibiotic therapy for H. pylori in patients with peptic ulcer disease was linked to a short-term increase in psychiatrist-diagnosed depression within 30 days. Women and patients treated with clarithromycin were particularly at higher risk.

The researchers reported that the increased risk of depression after H. pylori eradication therapy may involve alterations in the brain-gut-microbiome axis induced by antibiotic treatment, as is it well known that antibiotics can change the gut microbial composition, metabolism, and function, thereby affecting human health and possibly contributing to the pathophysiology of depression.

Based on these findings, the authors recommend that clinicians should monitor mental health shortly after H. pylori eradication, as short-term depressive symptoms may occur and be easily overlooked.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1111/hel.12824

Reference

Tsai C-F, Chen M-H, Wang Y-P, et al. Increased risk of short-term depressive disorder after Helicobacter pylori eradication: A population-based nested cohort study. Helicobacter. 2021; 26:e12824.
GWAS of peptic ulcer disease implicates Helicobacter pylori infection, other gastrointestinal disorders and depression

A study of over 450,000 people in the UK Biobank identified 8 independent genes that affect stomach acid, gut movement, and the body’s response to infection, including susceptibility to Helicobacter pylori infection.

The study also explored connections between these gut conditions and depression, which often occurs alongside digestive problems, providing new insights into the complex interplay between gut health and mental well-being.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21280-7

Reference

Wu, Y., Murray, G.K., Byrne, E.M. et al. GWAS of peptic ulcer disease implicates Helicobacter pylori infection, other gastrointestinal disorders and depression. Nat Commun 12, 1146 (2021)
The Psychotic Impact of Helicobacter pylori Gastritis and Functional Dyspepsia on Depression: A Systematic Review

The clinical practice of adding antidepressant drugs to the therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori, in addition to the standard drug regimen, has been widely considered in recent years but its specific role in this treatment is still unclear.

In this systematic review researchers tried to establish if there is an association between H. pylori gastritis and depression and to further analyze the therapeutic effect of antidepressants on symptomatic relief in gastritis. For that, they analyzed randomized clinical trials, cross-sectional and prospective studies, and review articles that examined H. pylori infection, depression, functional dyspepsia, and antidepressant treatment. They focused especially on patients whose digestive symptoms did not improve even after successful H. pylori eradication.

Across the studies, a clear pattern emerged: patients with ongoing functional dyspepsia after H. pylori treatment often improved when they were given antidepressants, even when standard eradication therapy alone had not worked. However, the authors highlight that more research is needed before this approach becomes routine medical practice.

Learn more about this review here: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5956

Reference

Al Quraan A M, Beriwal N, Sangay P, et al. (October 21, 2019) The Psychotic Impact of Helicobacter pylori Gastritis and Functional Dyspepsia on Depression: A Systematic Review. Cureus 11(10)
Psychological effects of Helicobacter pylori-associated atrophic gastritis in patients under 50 years: A cross-sectional study

A cross-sectional, observational study involving 975 Japanese individuals who underwent a health checkup, has found that people with atrophic gastritis had a significantly higher risk of experiencing psychological distress or depressed mood.

Interestingly, the risk was higher in females under 50 years old, regardless of H. pylori infection status.

Although the mechanism remains to be elucidated, the researchers suggest there is a possibility that nutritional status, neuroendocrinologic factors, and/or socioeconomic factors are involved. However, further studies are necessary to reveal the precise underlying mechanisms.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1111/hel.12445

Reference

Takeoka A, Tayama J, Kobayashi M, et al. Psychological effects of Helicobacter pylori-associated atrophic gastritis in patients under 50 years: A cross-sectional study. Helicobacter. 2017; 22:e12445
Correlation between social factors and anxiety-depression in function dyspepsia: do relationships exist?

A research study conducted on the Chinese population in 2014 aimed at evaluating the prevalence and the social factors linked to anxiety and depression in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). This study included 907 patients with FD who attended a gastroenterology service.

Despite being a hospital-based study, results showed that patients with functional dyspepsia had higher anxiety and depression scores when compared to data from the general population. They also found that a higher prevalence of A/D was observed in women, older individuals, those with lower socioeconomic status (lower wages, lower education levels), and those with more stressful jobs, making these aspects risk factors for the development of A/D. Interestingly, they found no differences in relation to family history.

Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.5114/pg.2014.47897

Reference

Huang, Z., Yang, X., Lan, L., Liu, T., Liu, C., & Li, J. et al. (2014). Correlation between social factors and anxiety-depression in function dyspepsia: do relationships exist?. Gastroenterology Review/Przegląd Gastroenterologiczny, 9(6), 348-353.