Molecular and Cellular Advances in Gut-Brain Axis

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cells of the Nervous System".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 5389

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Ob/Gyn and the Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, HSE1645, Box 0556, San Francisco, CA 94143-0556, USA
Interests: sex differences; stress; CRF; GPCRs; HPA axis; cell signaling and receptor crosstalk; metabolic disease; mental health; systems biology; neuroendocrinology; neurodegenerative diseases; gut–brain axis
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Guest Editor
Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN, USA
Interests: gut barrier; gut-brain axis; molecular study of gastrointestinal diseases; organization of tight junctions; protein phosphorylation-based cell signaling; junction proteins

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiome is an organ comprising several hundreds to thousands of species of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The significance of the gut microbiome was recognized by ancient cultures; however, Western medicine and research are beginning to shed light on the various physiological roles of the microbiome and the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind its function. A myriad of physiological functions that range from digestion to mental health are regulated by the various gut flora. The gut–brain axis is bidirectional and influences a plethora of (patho)physiologies including, but not limited to, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, functional gastrointestinal diseases, mood disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular health, cancers, and reproductive health. Biological sex, diet, and early-life stressors are some of the most important variables that influence normal physiology and disease outcomes but remains vastly understudied. Advances in “omics” have been crucial in elucidating the mechanisms behind the actions of the gut microbiome. This Special Issue seeks original research articles addressing omics, physiological, behavioral, molecular, and cellular aspects of the gut–brain axis in basic and translational research. Review articles will also be considered.

Prof. Dr. Aditi Bhargava
Dr. Radhakrishna Rao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • gut–brain axis
  • microbiome
  • omics
  • diet
  • biological sex
  • gender
  • early-life stress
  • immunity
  • mental health
  • neurodegenerative diseases
  • metabolic health

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

28 pages, 772 KiB  
Review
Gut-Brain Axis: Role of Microbiome, Metabolomics, Hormones, and Stress in Mental Health Disorders
by Ankita Verma, Sabra S. Inslicht and Aditi Bhargava
Cells 2024, 13(17), 1436; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13171436 - 27 Aug 2024
Viewed by 5095
Abstract
The influence of gut microbiome, metabolites, omics, hormones, and stress on general and mental health is increasingly being recognized. Ancient cultures recognized the importance of diet and gut health on the overall health of an individual. Western science and modern scientific methods are [...] Read more.
The influence of gut microbiome, metabolites, omics, hormones, and stress on general and mental health is increasingly being recognized. Ancient cultures recognized the importance of diet and gut health on the overall health of an individual. Western science and modern scientific methods are beginning to unravel the foundations and mechanisms behind some of the ancient beliefs and customs. The gut microbiome, an organ itself, is now thought to influence almost all other organs, ranging from the brain to the reproductive systems. Gut microbiome, metabolites, hormones, and biological sex also influence a myriad of health conditions that range from mental health disorders, obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular diseases to reproductive health. Here, we review the history and current understanding of the gut–brain axis bidirectional talk in various mental health disorders with special emphasis on anxiety and depressive disorders, whose prevalence has increased by over 50% in the past three decades with COVID-19 pandemic being the biggest risk factor in the last few years. The vagal nerve is an important contributor to this bidirectional talk, but other pathways also contribute, and most remain understudied. Probiotics containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species seem to have the most impact on improvement in mental health symptoms, but the challenge appears to be maintaining sustained levels, especially since neither Lactobacillus nor Bifidobacterium can permanently colonize the gut. Ancient endogenous retroviral DNA in the human genome is also linked to several psychiatric disorders, including depression. These discoveries reveal the complex and intricately intertwined nature of gut health with mental health disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular and Cellular Advances in Gut-Brain Axis)
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