Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38399815›Full record

ReviewMicroorganisms2024

Probiotics' Effects in the Treatment of Anxiety and Depression: A Comprehensive Review of 2014-2023 Clinical Trials.

Ermis Merkouris, Theodora Mavroudi, Daniil Miliotas, Dimitrios Tsiptsios, Aspasia Serdari, Foteini Christidi, Triantafyllos K Doskas, Christoph Mueller, Konstantinos Tsamakis

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Microorganisms, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 46 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
46citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
15.2field-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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

46 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 65 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. The effects ofFrontiers in nutrition · 2025
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  8. Effects of heat-treatedFrontiers in nutrition · 2026
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  10. The Impact ofNutrients · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Ermis MerkourisNeurology Department, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupoli, Greece.ORCID 0009-0000-6664-4405
Theodora MavroudiNeurology Department, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupoli, Greece.ORCID 0009-0004-9090-865X
Daniil MiliotasNeurology Department, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupoli, Greece.
Dimitrios TsiptsiosNeurology Department, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupoli, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-1601-8788
Aspasia SerdariDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Foteini ChristidiNeurology Department, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupoli, Greece.
Triantafyllos K DoskasNeurology Department, Athens Naval Hospital, 11521 Athens, Greece.
Christoph MuellerInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London SE5 8AB, UK.
Konstantinos TsamakisInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London SE5 8AB, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-0063-8413
Democritus University of Thrace · GRAthens Naval & Veterans Hospital · GRKing's College London · GBSt George's, University of London · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Changes in the gut microbiome can affect cognitive and psychological functions via the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis. Probiotic supplements are thought to have largely positive effects on mental health when taken in sufficient amounts; however, despite extensive research having been conducted, there is a lack of consistent findings on the effects of probiotics on anxiety and depression and the associated microbiome alterations. The aim of our study is to systematically review the most recent literature of the last 10 years in order to clarify whether probiotics could actually improve depression and anxiety symptoms. Our results indicate that the majority of the most recent literature suggests a beneficial role of probiotics in the treatment of depression and anxiety, despite the existence of a substantial number of less positive findings. Given probiotics' potential to offer novel, personalized treatment options for mood disorders, further, better targeted research in psychiatric populations is needed to address concerns about the exact mechanisms of probiotics, dosing, timing of treatment, and possible differences in outcomes depending on the severity of anxiety and depression.

Indexed as

alterationsanxietydepressiongutmicrobiomemicrobiotaprebioticsprobioticspsychobioticsreview

Identifiers

PMID38399815
PMCPMC10893170
OpenAlexW4391942573

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.