Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38707924›Full record

ReviewJournal of traditional and complementary medicine2024

The influence of the gut-brain axis on anxiety and depression: A review of the literature on the use of probiotics.

Sara Ferrari, Simone Mulè, Francesca Parini, Rebecca Galla, Sara Ruga, Giorgia Rosso, Arianna Brovero, Claudio Molinari, Francesca Uberti

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

27 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The Impact ofNutrients · 2025
    Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. The Combination ofNutrients · 2026
    Article
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Gut Microbiome as a Source of Probiotic Drugs for Parkinson's Disease.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Article
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.

Sara FerrariLaboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via So-laroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.
Simone MulèLaboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via So-laroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.
Francesca PariniLaboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via So-laroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.
Rebecca GallaLaboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via So-laroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.
Sara RugaNoivita srls, spin Off, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.
Giorgia RossoLaboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via So-laroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.
Arianna BroveroLaboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via So-laroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.
Claudio MolinariDepartment for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, Italy.
Francesca UbertiLaboratory of Physiology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via So-laroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This review aims to argue how using probiotics can improve anxiety and depressive behaviour without adverse effects, also exploring the impact of postbiotics on it. Specifically, probiotics have drawn more attention as effective alternative treatments, considering the rising cost of antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs and the high risk of side effects. Depression and anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses in the world's population, characterised by low mood, poor general interest, and cognitive or motor dysfunction. Thus, this study analysed published literature on anxiety, depression, and probiotic supplementation from PubMed and Scopus, focusing on the last twenty years. This study focused on the effect of probiotics on mental health as they have drawn more attention because of their extensive clinical applications and positive impact on various diseases. Numerous studies have demonstrated how the gut microbiota might be critical for mood regulation and how probiotics can affect host health by regulating the gut-brain axis. By comparing the different works analysed, it was possible to identify a strategy by which they are selected and employed and, at the same time, to assess how the effect of probiotics can be optimised using postbiotics, an innovation to improve mental well-being in humans.

Indexed as

BifidobacteriaLactobacilliMood disordersPostbioticsProbiotic supplementation

Identifiers

PMID38707924
PMCPMC11069002

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.