{"id":12071,"date":"2024-12-12T15:39:16","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T15:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=12071"},"modified":"2024-12-12T17:51:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T17:51:36","slug":"breakthrough-study-reveals-gut-serotonins-role-in-treating-depression-and-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/breakthrough-study-reveals-gut-serotonins-role-in-treating-depression-and-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Reveals Gut Serotonin&#8217;s Role in Treating Depression and Anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">Researchers have discovered a promising new target for antidepressant treatments that could reduce side effects and improve mental health by focusing on serotonin production in the gut.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In a groundbreaking study, researchers have unveiled a potential new pathway for treating depression and anxiety that could revolutionize how these common mental health issues are managed. The study, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gastrojournal.org\/article\/S0016-5085(24)05751-2\/abstract\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in Gastroenterology, identifies serotonin production in the gut as a key factor in alleviating mood disorders and mitigating digestive issues, particularly in children born to mothers who take antidepressants during pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The discovery emerged from collaborative research led by Kara Margolis, director of the NYU Pain Research Center and associate professor of molecular pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry, and Mark Ansorge, associate professor of clinical neurobiology at Columbia University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The researchers suggest that targeting serotonin in the gut epithelium \u2014 the cell lining of the intestines \u2014 may be more effective and have fewer side effects than traditional systemic antidepressant treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur findings suggest that there may be an advantage to targeting antidepressants selectively to the gut epithelium, as systemic treatment may not be necessary for eliciting the drugs\u2019 benefits but may be contributing to digestive issues in children exposed during pregnancy,\u201d Margolis said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyu.edu\/about\/news-publications\/news\/2024\/december\/gut-brain-antidepressants.html\" title=\"\">news release<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reimagining Depression Treatments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Depression and anxiety are epidemic in the United States, with one in five adults suffering from symptoms. Compounding this, many individuals with these mood disorders also experience disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are commonly prescribed but can have gastrointestinal side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Antidepressants function by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, yet 95% of serotonin is produced in the gut. Margolis and her team aimed to examine the effects of serotonin produced in the gut on overall mood and digestive health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mouse Models and Human Studies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Using innovative mouse models, the researchers found that increasing serotonin in the gut specifically led to improvements in symptoms of anxiety and depression while avoiding negative gastrointestinal effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27111230\/\" title=\"\">Previous research<\/a> led by Margolis had shown that blocking serotonin transporters throughout the body in mice led to digestive dysfunction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This new focus on gut-specific serotonin transporters presents a promising alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis adds a critical perspective to the long-held idea that the therapeutic effects of SSRIs come from directly targeting the central nervous system and suggests a role for the gut,\u201d Ansorge said in the news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, the study examined how human antidepressant use during pregnancy impacts children. Research involving over 400 mother-child pairs revealed a significant increase in functional constipation among babies exposed to SSRIs in utero. Up to 63% of these children experienced constipation in their first year of life, compared to 31% of children whose mothers did not take the medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implications and Future Research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>These findings have profound implications for clinical practice, though the researchers caution against making immediate changes based on these initial results. The evidence supports the need for further investigation into the role of gut serotonin in mood regulation and the development of safer treatment methods, particularly for pregnant women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese are not clinical guidelines \u2014 rather, they are a call that more research is needed on the connection between SSRIs, serotonin and the gut,\u201d added Margolis. \u201cIt&#8217;s recommended that mothers and providers together consider treatment options that have been shown to be successful, including medications and cognitive behavioral therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next steps involve exploring targeted treatments that focus on gut epithelium serotonin, which could dramatically change the landscape of treating depression and anxiety while minimizing side effects. This breakthrough holds the promise of a better quality of life for millions of people worldwide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a groundbreaking study, researchers have unveiled a potential new pathway for treating depression and anxiety that could revolutionize how these common mental health issues are managed. The study, published in Gastroenterology, identifies serotonin production in the gut as a key factor in alleviating mood disorders and mitigating digestive issues, particularly in children born to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mental-health"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"In a groundbreaking study, researchers have unveiled a potential new pathway for treating depression and anxiety that could revolutionize how these common mental health issues are managed. The study, published in Gastroenterology, identifies serotonin production in the gut as a key factor in alleviating mood disorders and mitigating digestive issues, particularly in children born to&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12071"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12071\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12159,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12071\/revisions\/12159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}