Psychobiotics at the Frontiers of Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Research.

2025-11-28
Microorganisms 13(12)

PubMed: 41471921
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13122718

Study Design

Type: Review
Methods: This review integrates current evidence on the GBA's involvement in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression, and anxiety. Both preclinical and clinical studies are discussed.

Neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders remain a major public health concern due to their progressive nature, high prevalence, and considerable socioeconomic burden. Conventional treatments often fall short, facing limitations such as pharmacoresistance, adverse effects, and limited efficacy, underscoring the need for complementary approaches. Recent advances highlight the central role of the gut-brain axis (GBA) in neurological health, positioning psychobiotics and probiotic strains with potential mental health benefits, as candidates in adjunctive therapy. This review integrates current evidence on the GBA's involvement in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression, and anxiety. We examine how psychobiotics may modulate neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter signaling, thereby contributing to cognitive and emotional regulation. Both preclinical and clinical studies are discussed, with emphasis on biomarker changes, quality-of-life outcomes, and neuropsychiatric comorbidities. We also explore recent innovations, including precision psychobiotics, microbiota-drug synergies, and their relevance to overlapping metabolic and neurodegenerative pathologies. Finally, we address the major translational challenges in the field, strain selection, methodological standardization, biomarker integration, and ethical design, highlighting key perspectives for advancing psychobiotics research toward clinical application.

Research Insights

Supplement	Dose	Health Outcome	Effect Type	Effect Size	Source
Bifidobacterium bifidum HA-132	—	Improved Mental Health	Beneficial	Small	View source psychobiotics and probiotic strains with potential mental health benefits, as candidates in adjunctive therapy
Bifidobacterium bifidum HA-132	—	Reduced Neuroinflammation	Beneficial	Moderate	View source psychobiotics may modulate neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter signaling
Bifidobacterium breve HA-129	—	No Human Health Outcome Reported	Neutral	Small	View source The provided abstract is a review of psychobiotics and the gut-brain axis and does not report any study findings or health outcomes specifically for consuming Bifidobacterium breve HA-129.
Bifidobacterium infantis HA-116	—	Improved Gut-Brain Axis Homeostasis	Beneficial	Small	View source psychobiotics and probiotic strains with potential mental health benefits, as candidates in adjunctive therapy. Recent advances highlight the central role of the gut-brain axis (GBA) in neurological health... psychobiotics may modulate neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter signaling, thereby contributing to cognitive and emotional regulation.
Lactobacillus plantarum LP01	—	Improved Gut-Brain Axis-Related Neuropsychiatric Health	Beneficial	Small	View source Recent advances highlight the central role of the gut-brain axis (GBA) in neurological health, positioning psychobiotics and probiotic strains with potential mental health benefits, as candidates in adjunctive therapy.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus LR06	—	Improved Neuropsychiatric Outcomes	Beneficial	Moderate	View source psychobiotics may modulate neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter signaling, thereby contributing to cognitive and emotional regulation
Lactobacillus rhamnosus LR06	—	Reduced Neuroinflammation	Beneficial	Moderate	View source psychobiotics may modulate neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter signaling