Gut Microbiota and Youth Mental Health

The human gut is colonized by trillions of bacteria that play a role in human health and disease. Recent animal and human evidence shows that communication between the gut microbiota and the brain has the ability to influence behavior and mood. Although it isn’t entirely clear how this happens, there is strong evidence that the stress-response systems are involved. Many of the findings differ by sex. In the current study, we will investigate the role of gut microbiota in mental health outcomes in youth.

We will study this relationship during the transition from childhood to youth because this is a period during which 70% of mental health concerns first appear and because there are significant changes in the stress response systems that could be influenced by the gut microbiota. Our participants are from the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study, which has previously collected data on 2200 families. Children will be assessed for mental health, gut microbiota, and stress response systems between 8 and 14 years of age.

Our aims are to determine the longitudinal association between gut microbiota and mental health, whether the stress response systems mediate this association, and whether findings differ by sex and/or puberty status. This study fills an important gap in knowledge about the ways that gut microbiota may influence mental health outcomes, especially in youth for which there is little microbiota data. This research will help us generate targeted interventions to test the therapeutic value of the gut microbiota for mental health in youth.