Pancreatic cancer is very deadly, with low survival rates, largely attributed to the fact that it does not present clearly with symptoms until it has reached a more serious stage (Kamisawa et al., 2016). In fact, out of the top 10 cancer-related deaths, pancreatic cancer is ranked number 7 (Khalaf et al., 2021). The pancreas is located near the liver, spleen, and gallbladder; within the abdomen (Fig. 1 Cleveland clinic diagram). It aids in digestion as well as the release of certain hormones. Pancreatic tumors can grow and obstruct the path of bile through the common duct, resulting in jaundice (Puckett, 2024), therefore not only interfering with the aforementioned pancreatic functions, but those of the organs around it. According to the Mayo Clinic, some common symptoms of pancreatic cancer include weight loss, jaundice, back pain, and blood clots.
Figure 1. Infographic about social anxiety. Graphic from zoelife, 2024.
Introduction:
Ever wonder how much of an impact your gut microbiome really makes on everyday life? New research suggests your microbiome can affect your physical and emotional well being, including levels of social anxiety. “The gut microbiota shows compositional alterations in a variety of psychiatric disorders including depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia but studies investigating the gut microbiome in social anxiety disorder (SAD) are very limited” (Butler, 2023).Therefore researchers took it upon themselves to study the effects of our microbiome on social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder has become one of the most common psychiatric conditions with rates as high as 13% (Butler, 2023). The current treatments for SAD are not always effective, “the use of psychosocial/psychotherapeutic approaches declines gradually from initiation of treatment over the course of 8 years” (Keller, 2003). This has encouraged researchers to look at alternative treatments which ultimately led them to dive deeper into our gut-brain axis. “It is broadly recognized that the gut and brain are in constant bidirectional communication, of which gut microbiota and its metabolic production are a major component, and form the so-called gut microbiome–brain axis” (Sasso, 2023). With this information they hope to be able to predict and treat SAD through understanding the microbes at play.
Figure 2. Infographic showing the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Graphical abstract from Sasso, 2020.
SAD has become one of the most common psychiatric conditions with rates increasing globally (Keller, 2003). The disorder is associated with symptoms of marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations where an individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others. SAD can be a chronic disorder that reduces the quality of life drastically. This disorder is diagnosed through trained professionals in psychology and can be treated with medication. “Current first-line treatments include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and cognitive behavioral therapy. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of patients fail to adequately respond to first-line pharmacotherapy” (Butler, 2023). With the limited success of current first line treatments researchers look to examine the microbiome-gut-brain (MGB) axis for answers.
The human microbiome is uniquely different from individual to individual. Microbes are everywhere including inside us, trillions of microorganisms colonizing our body is what makes up our microbiome and the microbes living specifically in our gut make up our gut microbiome (Sasso, 2023). These microorganisms are predominantly bacteria but can be viruses, protozoa, fungi and archaea. The gut microbiome in particular can exceed over 100 times the amount of the human genome in the body (Sasso, 2023). This gives the gut microbiome a huge genetic potential which no doubt can affect our daily processes. Since the push to discover more about gut microbiome, scientists have been able to link it to many health concerns including autoimmune, metabolic and neurological conditions. This includes everyday health concerns like allergies, celiac disease or anxiety can be linked to the composition of our gut microbiome. With how much genetic potential the gut microbiome can possess, it’s an understandable conclusion to predict that it could also play a role in social anxiety disorder.
Central Question:
Scientist (Butler, 2023), researching “The gut microbiome in social anxiety disorder: evidence of altered composition and function” analyzed the genetic makeup of fecal samples for compositional and functional differences in the gut microbiome of patients with SAD in comparison to health patients to determine whether the gut microbiome is a factor in SAD. Their main goal was to answer: does the gut microbiome really play a role in SAD?
Evidence:
This question was researched through patients who had obtained a clinical diagnosis of SAD and were between the ages of 18-65 years old. Only patients who were not taking any medication that could interfere or didn’t have acute or chronic medical illness were included. Patients taking psychiatric medications that were not predicted to influence the outcome were able to maintain that protocol. Scientists then kept track of their food frequency and intake through a questionnaire, the stool consistency, exercise levels and sleep. Fecal samples were collected from the participants and the genetic data of the microbes were processed. The study used 31 patients with SAD and 18 healthy patients as controls.
For the first time this study found that the gut microbiome is genetically different in people with social anxiety disorder (SAD) than that of healthy people. “Beta diversity, an indicator of overall microbiota composition, was significantly different between the two groups. The relative abundance of three genera, Anaeromassilibacillus, Gordonibacter and Parasutterella, and two corresponding species, Anaeromassilibacillus sp An250 and Parasutterella excrementihominis differed significantly between SAD patients and controls” (Butler, 2023). This adds to growing evidence that our social brain function and microbiome may be linked. The change in genus of the gut microbiome was significantly different between the two groups. Anaeromassilibacillus so An250 which was found in almost half the SAD patients but only one of the healthy controls. This genus is newly discovered and is also found increased in the gut of patients with autism spectrum disorder, depression and schizophrenia. This bacteria is part of the Clostridiales taxa which is a group of bacteria, the increase in Clostridiales seem to be associated with psychiatric disorder showing there may be a link to social behavior. Anaeromassilibacillus is a new addition to the human microbiome database so there is still limited research on how it affects human health.
It is hard to determine how important the difference in specific bacteria in the patient group is. This is because our gut microbiome is constantly interacting with one another and the host. Much more research is needed to fully characterize the microbial community structures and gain insights into how they influence the human host, however this study demonstrated a clear difference in microbial composition between the healthy patients and those suffering from social anxiety disorder. However a link in gut microbiome and the microbiome-gut-brain axis is yet to be fully understood.
Figure 3. Genus-level differences in relative abundance between SAD and controls seen in three genera; Anaeromassillibacillus and Gordonibacter are enriched in SAD while Parasutterella is enriched in healthy controls. B Species-level differences in relative abundance between SAD and controls; Anaeromassilibacillus sp An250 is increased in SAD while Parasuterella excrementihominis is enriched in healthy controls. (*p = <0.05) (Clr centred log-ratio transformed, HC Healthy Control, SAD Social Anxiety Disorder). Data figure from Butler, 2023.
My Questions:
More research is certainly needed to fully understand how the microbiome-gut-brain axis is influenced and what specific bacteria play the biggest roles. My question is wether or not psychotropic medication impact the gut microbiome. I would like to see this further studied to determine if there was a link between the psychotropic medications and microbiome some of the patients were taking to see if that can also explain the difference in gut microbiome composition.
Further reading:
To read the initial scientific research article that looked at the effects of the human microbiome of social anxiety disorder check the link below.
Read the article below to learn more about the microbiome-gut-brain axis. This article explains how it works and the value of researching the interactions between our gut microbiome and brain.
Butler, M. M., Bastiaanssen, T. F. S., Long-Smith, C., et al. (2023). The gut microbiome in social anxiety disorder: Evidence of altered composition and function. Translational Psychiatry, 13, 95. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02325-5
Sasso, J. M., Ammar, R. M., Tenchov, R., Lemmel, S., Kelber, O., Grieswelle, M., & Zhou, Q. A. (2023). Gut microbiome-brain alliance: A landscape view into mental and gastrointestinal health and disorders. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 14(10), 1717–1763. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00127
Xiong, R. G., Li, J., Cheng, J., Zhou, D. D., Wu, S. X., Huang, S. Y., Saimaiti, A., Yang, Z. J., Gan, R. Y., & Li, H. B. (2023). The role of gut microbiota in anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders as well as the protective effects of dietary components. Nutrients, 15(14), 3258. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15143258
Zhou, X., Shen, X., Johnson, J. S., Spakowicz, D. J., Agnello, M., Zhou, W., Avina, M., Honkala, A., Chleilat, F., Chen, S. J., Cha, K., Leopold, S., Zhu, C., Chen, L., Lyu, L., Hornburg, D., Wu, S., Zhang, X., Jiang, C., Jiang, L., … Snyder, M. P. (2024). Longitudinal profiling of the microbiome at four body sites reveals core stability and individualized dynamics during health and disease. Cell Host & Microbe, 32(4), 506–526.e9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2024.02.012
SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/GETTY IMAGES
Background
Recently there has been a trend in increasing health and a significant portion of this has been tied to gut health. When it comes to gut health the gut microbiome is typically one of the first topics brought up; along with this comes the topic of maintaining and improving the bacteria in our gut. This is done in two fashions: diets and supplements. Within supplements, the ever more popular probiotics play an extremely important role in our gut health. Not only are probiotics beneficial in aiding digestion and other dietary benefits, but a recent study has shown that they may even suppress the formation of tumors, reduce colon inflammation, and cause the death of tumor cells related to colorectal cancer (CRC) (Zhou et al, 2024).
Recently there has been a trend in increasing health and a significant portion of this has been tied to gut health. When it comes to gut health the gut microbiome is typically one of the first topics brought up; along with this comes the topic of maintaining and improving the bacteria in our gut. This is done in two fashions: diets and supplements. Within supplements, the ever more popular probiotics play an extremely important role in our gut health. Not only are probiotics beneficial in aiding digestion and other dietary benefits, but a recent study has shown that they may even suppress the formation of tumors, reduce colon inflammation, and cause the death of tumor cells related to colorectal cancer (CRC) (Zhou et al, 2024).
Could you imagine waking up every day with pain that never goes away? That is the reality many fibromyalgia sufferers experience in their everyday lives. Fibromyalgia is from the Latin word fiber (fiber) and the Greek words myo (muscle) and algos (pain). These root words offer a glimpse into what fibromyalgia is and how it causes suffering. It is a pain of the fibrous tissues and muscle in the human body. While anyone of any background regardless of race or ethnicity can get fibromyalgia, it typically affects women more than men (NIH, 2024). You are more likely to develop fibromyalgia as you age, and if a family member has fibromyalgia. There are cases of children and young adults having fibromyalgia, but it usually occurs in middle-aged women (Erdrich et al., 2023).
Around 2 to 4% of adults live with the challenges of fibromyalgia (Stewart, 2022). They wake up, feeling exhausted, struggling to get through daily tasks, and facing unpredictable flare-ups. This chronic condition, along with many other symptoms mentioned can affect your mental health, sleep and cognitive issues like brain fog, chronic headaches, and memory impairment. In addition, It can also make you more at risk for depression and anxiety by more than 50% (Freirich et al., 2021). Figure 1(A) displays many of the possible or common symptoms that sufferers of fibromyalgia have. The National Institute of Health has a great page about fibromyalgia, including its symptoms, causes and an overview.
The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining human health by interacting with host metabolism, immune function, and disease states. The diverse microbial communities within our gut not only contribute to digestion and nutrient absorption but also produce various metabolites (small molecules created when the body breaks down food and other substances) that influence overall health of the body. Who knew that a heart-healthy life might start with some gutsy friends in our microbiome? As exercise continues to grow in popularity as part of a healthy lifestyle, interest is also growing in understanding how it affects health beyond fitness.
Recent studies have examined how exercise impacts the gut microbiome (Lambert et al., 2015; Motiani et al., 2020) as well as how these microbiome changes may influence cardiovascular health, showing that exercise can modify gut microbiota composition and potentially offer protective effects against cardiovascular conditions (Longoria et al., 2022; Zhou et al., 2022). Understanding the mechanisms behind these relationships could lead to new therapeutic approaches aimed at treating cardiovascular health complications.
When we think about heart health, the gut probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, new research is shedding light on how the trillions of microorganisms living in our digestive tract—collectively known as the gut microbiome—may play a surprising role in cardiovascular disease (Zhang, Y. et al., 2022).
Cardiovascular Disease: The World’s Deadliest Threat
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), is an umbrella term for conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke and high blood pressure. These conditions are the leading cause of death worldwide, with heart attack and stroke being responsible for 85% of these deaths (World Health Organization, 2021). While many factors contribute to CVD, including diet, lifestyle, and genetics, scientists are discovering that the composition of our gut microbiome might also be a key player (Zhang, Y. et al., 2022).
Have you ever wondered why so many people nowadays seem to suffer chronic illnesses and conditions? Have you ever heard a grandparent say “Back in my day, nobody had inhalers”? It would seem as though despite the medical advances we’ve made, we are only getting sicker. As you probably know, humans are full of bacteria and living organisms. Microbes are becoming a hot topic with lots of talk about how these organisms affect our overall health. The communities of bacteria that inhabit our bodies are known as the human microbiome. Now, you might be pondering about the connection between bacteria and chronic illnesses. Fear not, for in this post we will explore the fascinating world of the human microbiome.
People may be familiar with products that claim to impact gut health via probiotics and prebiotics, like kombucha and supplements. Prebiotics are plant fibers that encourage growth of beneficial gut bacteria, while probiotics are usually live bacteria that are associated with good gut health (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2021). Diversity comes up often in discussions about gut microbes. Diversity refers to the amount of different species present in a sample, and more diverse samples contain a wider range of microbes. We know that a less diverse community of gut microbes is associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (Cénit et al., 2014) and obesity (Turnbaugh et al., 2008). However, relatively little is known about how the performance of endurance exercise might impact the microbes living within the gut.
Microbes found in our body and gut are responsible for many different functions of everyday life. Specifically, the human microbiome has prominent influences on health and disease (Kates et al., 2020). Have you ever questioned what can contribute to changes in our microbiome? The microbiome is defined as the community of microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi in a specific environment (Ursell et al., 2012). Although microbial changes are being considered in diet trends, probiotics, and environmental factors, pet ownership is often overlooked. Today, approximately 67% of U.S. households own a pet (APPA, 2021). Pet ownership brings us to the question, how may our microbiomes be impacted by pets living in our households? Many cats and dogs have similar microbiota compared to humans (Honneffer et al., 2014). Human-pet relationships can bring to light many pros and cons within our health. Many animals, especially those that roam outside, tend to bring in bacteria from the environment. This bacteria can then be easily transmitted (Resnick, 2012) to those living in the house, whether it’s via furniture, snuggling with your pet, or even something we consider harmless, like kissing your pet. Not only that, but bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Clostridia, and Campylobacter are transmitted via pets and cause severe intestinal diseases for humans.
