Briefly noted: F Humbel et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 18: 2019-2029. Association of Alterations in Intestinal Microbiota With Impaired Psychological Function in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in Remission

In a prospective study with 171 adults with IBD in remission, the authors combined

1. measures of psychological comorbidities and quality of life (QoL)
2. microbial analysis with 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing

Key findings:

• Microbiomes of patients with higher perceived stress had significantly lower alpha diversity
• Anxiety and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with beta diversity

My take: This study adds another dimension to the idea of bidirectionality between psychological well-being and course of inflammatory bowel disease.  The microbiome may directly influence both psychological well-being and IBD activity.

Related blog posts:

• Depression Screening for Pediatric Patients with IBD
• Working Together to Improve Outcomes for Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease | gutsandgrowth
• IBD Depression Screening
• Depression Screening for Pediatric IBD -reviews presentation on this topic with more slides
• Suicide Rate Up 33% in Last 20 Years
• No Exaggeration: Too Many Children Are Dying in the U.S.
• What to Do for Friends and Family Members Who Are Depressed
• IBD Updates: Depression and Crohn’s Disease
• There is No Healthy Microbiome
• Why Does Enteral Nutrition Work for Crohn’s Disease? Is it due to the Microbiome?