๐ก The study aimed to investigate the potential interactions between gut microbiota, markers of accelerated aging (telomere length – TL), and inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein – hsCRP) in patients with severe mental disorders, specifically schizophrenia (SCZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD). The secondary analysis explored associations at both genus and phylum levels and considered potential covariates.
๐ Methods:
Participants:15 controls, 35 patients with SCZ, and 31 patients with MDD. Recruitment from a community mental health center, comprising 50 males and 31 females. Mean and median age of participants: 46.8 and 46.3 years, respectively.
Data Collection:16S rRNA sequencing for gut microbiota analysis. TL measured via quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization. hsCRP levels assessed as a marker of inflammation. Logistic regression employed for statistical modeling.
Statistical Analysis: Logistic regression used to test interactions between gut microbiota and TL, hsCRP. Adjustment for covariates, including age.
๐ Key Findings:
๐ Genus Level Interactions:
๐๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ช๐ฅ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ: Statistically significant interaction with TL. Associated with reduced likelihood of MDD, even after covariate adjustment. No significant interaction with hsCRP.
๐๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ข: Significant interaction with TL in MDD. Consistent with literature showing increased relative proportion in MDD.
๐๐ช๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ (๐๐ฆ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ค๐ฆ๐ข๐ฆ family): Significant interaction with TL in SCZ. Associated with cognition-related measures in SCZ.
๐๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ค๐ญ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ช๐ฅ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ: Significant interaction with TL in HCs compared to MDD.
Associated with depressive symptoms in previous studies.
๐ Phylum Level Interaction:
๐๐ฆ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ค๐ฆ๐ข๐ฆ: Significant interaction with TL in SCZ. Consistent with previous findings associating this phylum with SCZ.
๐ Conclusion:
The study provides evidence of significant interactions between gut microbiota, TL, and specific mental disorders (MDD and SCZ). Despite limitations, the findings suggest a potential role of microbial signatures, such as ๐๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ช๐ฅ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ, ๐๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ข, ๐๐ช๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ค๐ฆ๐ข๐ฆ, in modulating the risk and characteristics of severe mental disorders. Further research with larger samples and experimental designs is warranted to validate and explore the causal relationships suggested by these interactions.
Link to the article : https://tinyurl.com/4r5spb6c
