The Impact of Microbiota on Neurological Disorders: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications

Abstract

Interactions in the gut-brain crosstalk have led to the development of an entirely new concept: the "microbiota-gut-brain axis". Microbiota has gained considerable attention in relation to disorders of a more neurological nature, such as neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric illnesses like autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, and mood disorders. This review aims to summarize the recent trends and insights into the role and consequences of gut microbiota in brain health and pediatric neurological disorders. Dysbiosis may be associated with an increased risk of neurological diseases that lead to different disruptions and conditions, including mental health issues. During microbiota dysbiosis, neuropsychological stress hormones that usually affect oxytocin and GABA neurons are significantly reduced. Current studies report that anxiety, major depression, and cognitive dysfunction are closely associated with dysbiosis. In the last few years, a handful of clinical studies have emerged, illustrating the potential for a bidirectional relationship of gut-brain interactions in humans. Perhaps some of the most crucial clinical investigations demonstrating overlapping relationships with the human gut-brain axis come from human trials focusing on modulating the microbiota significantly and noting significant cognitive correlates. A new field is emerging such as gene-editing technology that could represent a potential tool to improve gut microbial characteristics. This approach could be particularly relevant for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders and brain-gut axis diseases linked with loss of microbial species and/or high pathobiont load.