Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40977983›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in nutrition2025

Gut-brain axis in adolescent depression: a systematic review of psychological implications and behavioral interventions.

Haitao Liu, Xiaoli Li, Ying Shi, Ke Hong, Xing Wang, Congfu Huang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
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

6 authors.

Haitao Liu *Psychology Department, Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City (Affiliated Shenzhen Women and Children's Hospital) (Longgang) of Shantou University Medical College, Medical Research Institute of Maternal and Child, Shenzhen, China.
Xiaoli Li *Department of Pediatrics, Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City (Affiliated Shenzhen Women and Children's Hospital) (Longgang) of Shantou University Medical College, Medical Research Institute of Maternal and Child, Shenzhen, China.
Ying ShiDepartment of Pediatrics, Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City (Affiliated Shenzhen Women and Children's Hospital) (Longgang) of Shantou University Medical College, Medical Research Institute of Maternal and Child, Shenzhen, China.
Ke HongDepartment of Pediatrics, Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City (Affiliated Shenzhen Women and Children's Hospital) (Longgang) of Shantou University Medical College, Medical Research Institute of Maternal and Child, Shenzhen, China.
Xing WangDepartment of Pediatrics, Affiliated Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China.
Congfu HuangDepartment of Pediatrics, Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City (Affiliated Shenzhen Women and Children's Hospital) (Longgang) of Shantou University Medical College, Medical Research Institute of Maternal and Child, Shenzhen, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Adolescent depression affects 13% of youths globally, with 30-40% exhibiting treatment resistance. Emerging evidence implicates gut microbiome dysbiosis in core behavioral symptoms (e.g., anhedonia, social withdrawal) via gut-brain axis (GBA) pathways. This systematic review synthesizes clinical and preclinical evidence (2014-2025) to delineate the microbiota-behavior interactions and evaluate microbiome-targeted interventions. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 45 studies (29 clinical trials, 11 animal models, 5 meta-analyses) were analyzed from PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase. Data extraction focused on microbiome composition, neurobehavioral outcomes, and intervention efficacy. Random-effects meta-analyses pooled effect sizes (95% CIs). Results: Depressed adolescents showed reduced gut microbiota Conclusion: Gut microbiome modulation shows promise as an adjunct to behavioral therapies (e.g., CBT).

Indexed as

adolescent depressiongut-brain axisMediterranean dietmicrobiotapersonalized nutritionpsychobioticssex differences

Identifiers

PMID40977983
PMCPMC12443687

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.