Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42124014›Full record

ReviewNutrients2026

Diet-Microbiome-Brain Axis and Mental Health: Biological Mechanisms and Nutritional Implications.

Diana Uțu, Aniela-Roxana Nodiți-Cuc, Andreea-Mihaela Kiș, Ramona Amina Popovici, Dana Emanuela Pitic, Laria-Maria Trusculescu, Diana Marian, Andreea Georgiana Nan, Asad Salehi Matin, Dora Mihaela Cîmpian and 3 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Nutrients, 2026. 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

13 authors.

Diana UțuDepartment II, Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.ORCID 0009-0001-7708-7314
Aniela-Roxana Nodiți-CucDepartment of Surgical Oncology, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
Andreea-Mihaela KișDepartment I, Management and Communication in Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.ORCID 0009-0004-4581-8487
Ramona Amina PopoviciDepartment I, Management and Communication in Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-3852-9060
Dana Emanuela PiticDoctoral School, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.ORCID 0009-0000-3959-9901
Laria-Maria TrusculescuDepartment I, Management and Communication in Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
Diana MarianDepartment of Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, "Vasile Goldiş" Western University of Arad, 94-96 Revoluţiei Blvd., 310025 Arad, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-2585-2632
Andreea Georgiana NanFirst Clinic of Psychiatry, Clinical County Hospital of Targu Mures, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania.
Asad Salehi MatinDoctoral School, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
Dora Mihaela CîmpianDepartment of Bioethics, Medical Deontology and Medical Communication, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania.
Cristina Raluca BodoDepartment of Bioethics, Medical Deontology and Medical Communication, "George Emil Palade" University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania.
Alexandra EnacheDepartment VIII, Discipline of Forensic Medicine, Bioethics, Deontology and Medical Law, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
Iustin OlariuDepartment of Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, "Vasile Goldiş" Western University of Arad, 94-96 Revoluţiei Blvd., 310025 Arad, Romania.ORCID 0009-0004-0757-5998

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesDiet is a primary and modifiable determinant of gut microbiota composition, diversity, and metabolic activity, thereby shaping microbial-derived metabolites, immune and inflammatory signalling, neuroendocrine regulation, and neural communication with the central nervous system. Western dietary patterns, characterised by high intake of ultra-processed foods, saturated fats, and low dietary fibre, are consistently associated with gut dysbiosis, impaired intestinal barrier function, chronic low-grade inflammation, and increased risk of depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, and neurodegenerative disorders.

methodsThis narrative review synthesises evidence from human observational studies, randomised controlled trials, animal models, and mechanistic investigations examining interactions among diet, gut microbiota, and mental health or neurobiological outcomes. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles published up to December 2025.

resultsThe study highlights the therapeutic potential and limitations of dietary interventions, prebiotics, probiotics, and psychobiotics, and critically evaluates them. Also facilitates an improved understanding of diet-microbiome-brain interactions, which may help the development of personalised, nutrition-based strategies integrated into mental health prevention and clinical care.

conclusionsThese findings support diet-based, microbiome-informed strategies as scalable adjuncts in mental health prevention and care.

Indexed as

BrainDietGastrointestinal MicrobiomeMental DisordersMental HealthAnimalsDysbiosisHumansanxietydepressiondiet–microbiome–brain axisgut microbiotainflammationmental healthnutritional psychiatrypsychobiotics

Identifiers

PMID42124014
PMCPMC13164751

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.