ArticleBMJ open2021
Bugs and Brains, the Gut and Mental Health Study: a mixed-methods study investigating microbiota composition and function in anxiety, depression and irritable bowel syndrome.
Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Chronic exposure to milk odorant might ameliorate the depressive-like behavior of mice through gut-brain axis.NPJ science of food · 2025Article
- Anxiety disorders presenting as gastrointestinal symptoms in children - a scoping review.Clinical and experimental pediatrics · 2025Article
- Saliva assay: a call for methodological standardization.Journal of periodontal & implant science · 2025Review
- Review
- Exercise and the gut microbiome: implications for supportive care in cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Review
- Microbiota-ear-brain interaction is associated with generalized anxiety disorder through activation of inflammatory cytokine responses.Frontiers in immunology · 2023Article
- Shedding light on biological sex differences and microbiota-gut-brain axis: a comprehensive review of its roles in neuropsychiatric disorders.Biology of sex differences · 2022Review
- Gut bless you: The microbiota-gut-brain axis in irritable bowel syndrome.World journal of gastroenterology · 2022Review
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionResearch has highlighted relationships between the micro-organisms that inhabit our gastrointestinal tract (oral and gut microbiota) with host mood and gastrointestinal functioning. Mental health disorders and functional gastrointestinal disorders co-occur at high rates, although the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. The Bugs and Brains Study aims to investigate complex relationships between anxiety/depression and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in two ways. First, its primary component will compare the gut and oral microbiota in females with anxiety/depression and/or IBS relative to controls, and investigate underlying physiological, endocrine and immune factors, as well as associations with diet and psychosocial factors. In an ancillary component, the study will also investigate gastrointestinal and mental health symptoms in a larger sample, and explore relationships with diet, exercise, oral health, substance use, medical history, early life adversity and psychosocial factors. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Bugs and Brains Study aims to recruit 160 females to the primary component: (1) 40 controls; (2) 40 participants with a depressive/anxiety disorder, but no IBS; (3) 40 participants with IBS, but no depressive/anxiety disorder and (4) 40 participants with both depressive/anxiety disorder and IBS. Participation is completed within 1 month, and involves comprehensive questionnaires, anthropometrics, a diagnostic clinical interview, collection of two saliva samples, and stool, urine and hair samples. This study aims to use a systems biology approach to characterise oral and gut microbial composition ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Approval was granted by the University of Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee (#1749221). All participants voluntarily provided informed consent. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific conferences.
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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.