Effects of Treatment with Probiotics on Cognitive Function and Regulatory Role of Cortisol and IL-1β in Adolescent Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotics on cognitive function and the regulation of cortisol and IL-1β in adolescents with depression. All 180 participants were randomly assigned to a study group (treated with probiotics combined with sertraline hydrochloride) and a control group (treated with sertraline hydrochloride). The repetitive Neuropsychological State Test (RBANS) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) were administered to MDD patients. The levels of serum cortisol and IL-1β were detected using an ELISA kit. Except for speech function, factors including immediate memory, visual span, attention function, delayed memory, and the RBANS in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The levels of cortisol and interleukin-1β in the study group were significantly downregulated compared to those in the control group. Except for speech function, the cortisol level was negatively correlated with the RBANS total score and other factors in the study group. Interleukin-1β was also negatively correlated with the RBANS total score and each factor score. Cortisol and interleukin-1β were predictors of the RBANS total score, which explained 46.80% of the variance. Cortisol had significant predictive effects on attention function and delayed memory, and interleukin-1β had significant predictive effects on visual span and speech function. It could be concluded that probiotics could improve cognitive function in adolescents with depression by regulating cortisol and IL-1β levels.

Human Gut Microbiota for Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression

“…More promising and effective is the use of probiotics for the treatment of MDD in combination with antidepressants. There are several studies where probiotics are used as adjuvants to treat patients with major depression [ 145 , 158 , 169 , 170 , 171 , 172 , 173 ] and anxiety disorders [ 174 ]. Another article is focused on the evaluation of depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder [ 175 ].…”

“…Depression was mild to moderate in all studies except that of Miyaoka et al, where resistant depression was considered [ 170 ]. Different bacteria strains were used: Lactobacillus acidophilus , Lacticaseibacillus casei , Bifidobacterium bifidum [ 169 ]; Lactiplantibacillus plantarum [ 171 ]; L. helveticus , B. longum [ 158 ]; Clostridium butyricum [ 170 ]; B. longum , B. bifidum , Bifidobacterium lactis , L. acidophilus [ 174 ]; the synbiotic Familact H ® containing seven strains of lactobacilli, bifidobacterial and streptococci [ 145 ]; Bac-Set Forte, a multi-strain probiotic containing 14 strains of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, streptococci, lactococci [ 172 ]; Bifidobacterium , Lactobacillus , Enterococcus and Bacillus cereus [ 173 ]; B. lactis [ 175 ].…”

“…The use of probiotics led to a more pronounced improvement of nervous–immune–endocrine parameters in the studied patients, with a following reduction in symptoms of depressive disorders. Shi et al noted a significant decrease in the cortisol and interleukin-1 levels in the study group compared to those in the control group [ 173 ]. In Akkasheh et al’s work, combined therapy had beneficial effects on insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, hs-CRP concentrations and glutathione concentrations [ 169 ].…”