Are probiotics a potential avenue for treatment of the bipolar disorder?
| Dec 17, 2018, 15:49 IST
3 million people in the US are diagnosed every year with bipolar disorder. For those of you not in the know, the bipolar disorder is a psychiatric condition characterised by dramatic shifts in mood from depression to mania. As of now, the treatment for the disorder is basically a combination of psychotherapy and prescription medications such as mood stabilizers and antipsychotics.
We now learn that an emerging field of research is exploring the use of probiotics—often thought of as "good bacteria"—as a potential new avenue for treatment of bipolar and other psychiatric mood disorders. Baltimore's Sheppard Pratt Health System recently conducted a research wherein they found that a probiotic supplement may reduce inflammation of the gut, which is known to exacerbate bipolar disorder. Probiotic organisms are non-pathogenic bacteria that, when present in the gut flora, are known to improve the overall health of the host.
Several studies show a strong link between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. The GI tract is also home to the intestinal microbiome, a complex population of roughly 100 trillion microorganisms. Evidence proves that imbalances in the microbial species that make up the gut microbiome can lead to a number of health problems including allergies, autoimmune disorders, and psychiatric mood disorders.
We now learn that an emerging field of research is exploring the use of probiotics—often thought of as "good bacteria"—as a potential new avenue for treatment of bipolar and other psychiatric mood disorders. Baltimore's Sheppard Pratt Health System recently conducted a research wherein they found that a probiotic supplement may reduce inflammation of the gut, which is known to exacerbate bipolar disorder. Probiotic organisms are non-pathogenic bacteria that, when present in the gut flora, are known to improve the overall health of the host.
Several studies show a strong link between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. The GI tract is also home to the intestinal microbiome, a complex population of roughly 100 trillion microorganisms. Evidence proves that imbalances in the microbial species that make up the gut microbiome can lead to a number of health problems including allergies, autoimmune disorders, and psychiatric mood disorders.