The Gut Microbiome's Role in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is an individually catastrophic and economically relevant disorder that affects millions of individuals globally. Up to 2/3rd of patients with MDD are without effective treatment (Greenberg et. al, 2023). Several neuroscientific studies have shown links between depression and the diversity and community of microorganisms that exists in the gut (Foster and McVey, 2013 Sudo et al., 2004). In the last two decades there has been promising new research exploring gut microbiota-targeting interventions for individuals with major depression disorder. It is hypothesized that the pathogenesis of MDD lies in the dysfunction of gut-brain axis and that research into gut modulating treatments could be a novel and life-altering approach to treat depression (Skonieczna, 2018). In this review we will discuss the pathogenesis of major depression disorder and gut dysfunction, also called dysbiosis, and the association between the two. We explore the possibility to change one's own intricate and unique gut microbiome diversity and the potential reduction in negative symptoms for depression patients.