Evidence of the Dysbiotic Effect of Psychotropics on Gut Microbiota and Capacity of Probiotics to Alleviate Related Dysbiosis in a Model of the Human Colon

Abstract

Growing evidence indicates that non-antibiotic therapeutics significantly impact human health by modulating gut microbiome composition and metabolism. In this study, we investigated the impact of two psychotropic drugs, aripiprazole and (S)-citalopram, on gut microbiome composition and its metabolic activity, as well as the potential of probiotics to attenuate related dysbiosis using an ex vivo model of the human colon. After 48 h of fermentation, the two psychotropics demonstrated distinct modulatory effects on the gut microbiome. Aripiprazole, at the phylum level, significantly decreased the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while increasing the proportion of Proteobacteria. Moreover, the families Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillaceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae were also reduced by aripiprazole treatment compared to the control group. In addition, aripiprazole lowered the levels of butyrate, propionate, and acetate, as measured by gas chromatography (GC). On the other hand, (S)-citalopram increased the alpha diversity of microbial taxa, with no differences observed between groups at the family and genus level. Furthermore, a probiotic combination of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HA-114 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175 alleviated gut microbiome alterations and increased the production of short-chain fatty acids to a similar level as the control. These findings provide compelling evidence that psychotropics modulate the composition and function of the gut microbiome, while the probiotic can mitigate related dysbiosis.

Pancreatitis affects gut microbiota via metabolites and inflammatory cytokines: an exploratory two-step Mendelian randomisation study

“…The increased abundances of Erysipelotrichaceae and Eggerthella were genetically associated with AICP, which has also been observed in sleep-deprived mice (Cammann et al 2023 ). Psychotropic drugs have been shown to reduce the abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae (Ait Chait et al 2023 ) . Therefore, the additional effect of AICP on gut microbiota disorders may be twofold: alteration of the raw material of gut microbiota metabolism by long-term ethanol intake and further effect of alcohol on the nervous system through the brain–gut axis.…”

The atypical antipsychotic lurasidone positively modulates the gut microbiota in rats: A comparative study to olanzapine

“…For example, Tomizawa et al analysed 246 stool samples from 40 patients to uncover a dose-dependent generalised decrease in phylogenic, whole-tree and beta diversity indices (all indicative of a dysbiotic gut microbial profile) in patients administered antipsychotics (Tomizawa et al, 2021). Such findings have led to the overall notion that all psychotropics adversely impact the gut microbiota (Ait Chait et al, 2021, 2023; Cussotto et al, 2019; Hao et al, 2023; Minichino et al, 2023; Munawar et al, 2021; Seeman, 2021; Tomizawa et al, 2021).…”