Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40221592›Full record

ReviewCurrent psychiatry reports2025

The Gut Microbiome in Anxiety Disorders.

Mary I Butler, Sarah Kittel-Schneider, Jolana Wagner-Skacel, Sabrina Mörkl, Gerard Clarke

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Current psychiatry reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–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

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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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

5 authors.

Mary I ButlerDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. mary.butler@ucc.ie.
Sarah Kittel-SchneiderDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Jolana Wagner-SkacelDivision of Medical Psychology, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Sabrina MörklDivision of Medical Psychology, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Gerard ClarkeDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purpose of reviewWe aim to update readers on the latest evidence regarding the role of the gut microbiome in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), agoraphobia, and social anxiety disorder (SAD). This review summarises the literature on microbiome composition and function in these conditions, provides insights about causality and mechanisms and evaluates current evidence for microbiome-based interventions in anxiety disorders. RECENT

findingsMost studies exploring the microbiome in anxiety disorders are small, cross-sectional studies. Nevertheless, some consistent findings emerge. Bacterial taxa such as Eubacterium, Coprococcus and Faecalibacterium may be depleted in GAD. Studies in PD and SAD are scarce and, to our knowledge, there have been no studies conducted in agoraphobia. Probiotics may help reduce anxiety symptoms, although the majority of studies have been in non-clinical cohorts. Large, prospective studies are required to further elucidate the role of the microbiome-gut-brain axis in anxiety disorders. Microbiome-based interventions hold promise, but randomised controlled trials in clinical populations with relevant diagnoses are now warranted and urgently required.

Indexed as

Anxiety DisordersGastrointestinal MicrobiomeHumansProbioticsAgoraphobiaGeneralised anxiety disorderGut-brain axisGut microbiomeGut microbiotaPanic disorderSocial anxiety disorder

Identifiers

PMID40221592
PMCPMC12003441

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.