Effect of Fermented Foods on Brain-Gut Axis and Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

Gastrointestinal microbiota as a whole comprises of microorganisms that develop from birth and change according to vital factors throughout life cycle. Recently, the mechanisms by which the brain and gut affect each other in a bidirectional manner have been investigated. Among these mechanisms, neuroactive compounds, short-chain fatty acids, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and vagus nerve play an important role. Psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress may also be seen in people with microbiota dysbiosis due to gastrointestinal system diseases. Food products obtained through various fermentation processes have been found to improve the properties of the endogenous microflora and microbiota, therefore affecting intestinal and brain health in a positive manner. Fermented foods with probiotic properties are also psychobiotic foods, as they positively affect mental health. Studies have shown that the intake of fermented foods such as brined pickles, yoghurt, kefir, kimchi may support mental health by improving the microbiota in psychiatric disorders. However, more studies are needed to evaluate the extent to which each fermented food group affects the brain-gut axis and their effects on mental health. In this article, factors involved in the bidirectional interaction between the brain and the gut and the effects of fermented foods on psychiatric disorders through the brain-gut axis were reviewed.

Keywords

• Gut-brain axis
• fermented foods
• microbiota
• depression

Fermente Besinlerin Beyin-Bağırsak Ekseni ve Psikiyatrik Bozukluklara Etkisi

Abstract

Gastrointestinal mikrobiyota, doğumdan itibaren gelişen ve yaşamsal faktörlere göre değişen mikroorganizmalar bütünüdür. Son zamanlarda, beyin ve bağırsağın çift yönlü olarak birbirini etkilediği mekanizmalar araştırılmaktadır. Bu mekanizmalar arasında nöroaktif bileşikler, kısa zincirli yağ asitleri, hipotalamushipofiz- adrenal ekseni ve vagus siniri önemli rol oynamaktadır. Gastrointestinal sistem hastalıklarına bağlı olarak mikrobiyota disbiyozu görülen kişilerde depresyon, kaygı, stres gibi psikiyatrik bozukluklar da görülebilmektedir. Çeşitli fermentasyon süreçlerinden geçerek elde edilen fermente besinler, endojen mikrofloranın özelliklerini geliştirerek mikrobiyotayı ve dolayısıyla beyin ve bağırsak sağlığını olumlu yönde etkiler. Probiyotik özelliği olan fermente besinler aynı zamanda ruh sağlığını olumlu yönde etkiledikleri için psikobiyotik besinlerdir. Çalışmalar, psikiyatrik bozukluklarda turşu, yoğurt, kefir, kimçi gibi fermente ürünlerin mikrobiyotayı iyileştirerek ruh sağlığını destekleyebileceğini göstermiştir. Ancak, her bir fermente besin grubunun beyin-bağırsak eksenini ne düzeyde etkilediğini ve bunların ruh sağlığına etkilerini değerlendirmek için daha fazla çalışmaya gereksinim duyulmaktadır. Bu derlemede, beyin ve bağırsak arasındaki çift yönlü etkileşimde rol alan faktörler ve fermente besinlerin beyin-bağırsak ekseni üzerinden psikiyatrik bozukluklara etkisi araştırılmıştır.

Keywords

• Beyin-bağırsak ekseni
• fermente besinler
• mikrobiyota
• depresyon.

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