Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28239408›Full record

ReviewAnnals of general psychiatry2017

The effects of probiotics on depressive symptoms in humans: a systematic review.

Caroline J K Wallace, Roumen Milev

Erratum issued 5 registry-linked trialsOpen access · goldAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Annals of general psychiatry, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. It is linked to 5 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 219 papers, 21 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
219citing papers in PubMed, 21 pooled it
19.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03478527 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2018, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Probiotic Bacteria on Brain Structure and Function and on Psychological Variables

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversitätsklinikum Hamburg-EppendorfRan2018 to 2021Enrolled59ConditionsDepressive Symptoms, Anxiety, StressArmsVivomixx® powder, Placebo powder
NCT03667404 phase2active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2018, after this paper: background citation

Gut Microbial Remodeling With Resistant Maltodextrin for Motor and Non-motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease: Safety and Tolerability Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorNorthwestern UniversityRan2018 to 2026Enrolled30ConditionsParkinson Disease, Intestinal Bacteria Flora Disturbance, Dietary ModificationArmsResistant maltodextrin, maltodextrin
NCT04567147 phase1completednot on this mapstarted 2018, after this paper: background citation

Effect of Probiotic on Depressive Symptom in Chinese Patients

TypeinterventionalSponsorChina Agricultural UniversityRan2018 to 2020Enrolled89ConditionsDepressionArmsProbiotic, Placebo
NCT04570072 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

Effect of Probiotic on Chinese Patients With Depression and Constipated Comorbidity

TypeinterventionalSponsorChina Agricultural UniversityRan2020 to 2021Enrolled200ConditionsComorbidity of Depression and ConstipationArmsProbiotic, Placebo
NCT05808101 terminatednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Role of the Gut Microbiome as Determinant of Depression in Multiple Sclerosis Subjects

TypeobservationalSponsorWashington University School of MedicineRan2022 to 2024Enrolled51ConditionsMultiple Sclerosis, DepressionArmsNeuro-QoL T-score determination
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

219 citing papers in PubMed, 21 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 456 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Pooled it
  11. Pooled it
  12. Pooled it
  13. Pooled it
  14. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2021
    Pooled it
  15. Pooled it
  16. Pooled it
  17. Pooled it
  18. Pooled it
  19. Pooled it
  20. Pooled it

159 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Caroline J K WallaceDepartment of Psychiatry, Queen's University, 752 King Street West, Kingston, ON K7L 4X3 Canada.
Roumen MilevDepartment of Psychiatry, Queen's University, 752 King Street West, Kingston, ON K7L 4X3 Canada.
Queen's University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients suffering from depression experience significant mood, anxiety, and cognitive symptoms. Currently, most antidepressants work by altering neurotransmitter activity in the brain to improve these symptoms. However, in the last decade, research has revealed an extensive bidirectional communication network between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system, referred to as the "gut-brain axis." Advances in this field have linked psychiatric disorders to changes in the microbiome, making it a potential target for novel antidepressant treatments. The aim of this review is to analyze the current body of research assessing the effects of probiotics, on symptoms of depression in humans.

methodsA systematic search of five databases was performed and study selection was completed using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses process.

resultsTen studies met criteria and were analyzed for effects on mood, anxiety, and cognition. Five studies assessed mood symptoms, seven studies assessed anxiety symptoms, and three studies assessed cognition. The majority of the studies found positive results on all measures of depressive symptoms; however, the strain of probiotic, the dosing, and duration of treatment varied widely and no studies assessed sleep.

conclusionThe evidence for probiotics alleviating depressive symptoms is compelling but additional double-blind randomized control trials in clinical populations are warranted to further assess efficacy.

Indexed as

AnxietyDepressionGut–brain axisMicrobiomeProbioticsSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID28239408
PMCPMC5319175
OpenAlexW2589381355

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.