Gut Microbiota Diversity Linked to Depression Severity.

A study published in Translational Psychiatry has found that microbial diversity in the gut is closely related to the severity of major depressive disorder. The abundance of Bacteroides species was significantly increased in participants with moderate and severe depression, while Ruminococcus and Eubacterium were depleted mainly in participants with severe depression. The study used metagenome sequencing to analyze the genetic material present in stool samples from 138 persons with depression of different severity and 155 healthy individuals serving as controls. The study makes an important contribution to the scientific understanding of the links between gut microbiota composition and mental health.