Gut Microbiome Composition Associated With Major Depressive Disorder and Sleep Quality

Abstract

The microbiota–gut–brain axis plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and related subclinical symptoms. However, studies on the gut microbiota in MDD are inconsistent, and data on MDD's effects on sleep are lacking. This study aimed to analyze the gut microbiota composition and sleep quality of patients with MDD. We performed 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples from 36 patients with MDD and 45 healthy controls (HC). Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, depressive severity with the Hamilton Depression Scale, and insomnia severity using the Insomnia Severity Index. Forty-eight microbiota targets showed significant differences between MDD and HC. In MDD, six microbiota targets were associated with the severity of depression, 11 with sleep quality, and 3 with sleep severity. At the genus level, Dorea was simultaneously related to depression and sleep quality, while Intestinibacter was more closely related to sleep problems. Coprococcus and Intestinibacter were associated with sleep quality independent of the severity of depression. In conclusion, the present findings enable a better understanding of the relationship between gut microbiota and MDD-related symptoms. Gut microbiota alterations may become potential biomarkers and/or treatment targets for sleep quality in MDD.

Gut Microbiome Composition Linked to Inflammatory Factors and Cognitive Functions in First-Episode, Drug-Naive Major Depressive Disorder Patients

“…Some of our results were congruent with outcomes of previous studies. Zhang et al (2021) found decreasing Clostridiaceae and Alistipes in MDD, and that the severity of depression correlated with bacterial composition. Zheng et al (2016) found that the families Bacteroidaceae and Lachnospiraceae and the genera Alistipes and Clostridium XlVa were overrepresented in HCs.…”

A systematic review of gut microbiota composition in observational studies of major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

“…Most studies performed DNA extraction using commercially available DNA extraction kits (89%; N = 39/44 studies). Three studies did not use commercial kits [ 71 , 79 , 111 ], and three studies did not report the DNA extraction method [ 87 , 91 , 106 ]. Sequencing methods included 16S (86%; N = 38/44 studies) and metagenomics (16%; N = 7/44 studies), predominantly using the Illumina MiSeq system (55%; N = 24/44 studies).…”

Revisiting Secondary Information Related to Pharmacogenetic Testing

“…Medication response is a complex phenotype impacted by both host genetics, environmental factors and the gut microbiome. A growing body of literature highlights the important role of the gut microbiome on drug response (Zhang et al, 2018;Clarke et al, 2019) as well as disease risk (Andrews et al, 2021;Zhang et al, 2021). Thus, we should not confine the definition of secondary findings to host genetic variants.…”