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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Feb 4.
Published in final edited form as: Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018 Oct 4;17(2):322–332. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2018.10.002

Table 2.

Selected Sample of Studies Investigating Psychobiotics

Study Design Disease Intervention Conclusions
Tillisch et al82 Clinical; RCT Healthy women Probiotic Probiotic changes functional connectivity of an emotional recognition network in the brain
Slykerman et al83 Clinical; RCT in pregnancy Anxiety and depression Probiotic Probiotic significantly decreases postpartum anxiety and depression
Pinto-Sanchez et al84 Clinical; RCT in IBS Depression Probiotic Probiotic reduces depression, increases quality of life; associated with changes in brain activation patterns
Romijn et al85 Clinical; RCT Depression Probiotic No significant effect of probiotic on low mood or inflammatory biomarkers
Akkasheh et al86 Clinical; RCT Depression Probiotic Probiotic reduces depression scores and improves insulin sensitivity
Takada et al87 Clinical; RCT Stress Probiotic Probiotic suppresses cortisol hypersecretion and physical symptoms associated with stress
Allen et al88 Clinical; within-participant placebo-controlled trial Stress Probiotic Probiotic reduces stress and improves memory
Kelly et al89 Clinical; RCT Stress Probiotic No significant effect of probiotic on stress
Ostlund-Lagerstrom et al90 Clinical; RCT in older adults Anxiety and stress Probiotic No significant effect of probiotic on stress
Schmidt et al91 Clinical; RCT Anxiety Prebiotic Prebiotic is associated with anxiolytic properties
Wang et al92 Clinical; RCT Stress Rifaximin Rifaximin shows stress-reducing effects
Burokas et al93 Preclinical Stress Prebiotic Prebiotic improves stress-related behaviors
Desbonnet et al94 Preclinical Depression Probiotic Probiotic normalizes markers associated with a rat model of depression
Tarr et al95 Preclinical Anxiety Prebiotic Prebiotic improves stressor-induced anxiety behavior

NOTE. The table underscores the numerous studies, often with limited sample sizes, investigating the role of prebiotics, probiotics, and antibiotics to modulate anxiety, depression, stress, and other behavioral measures.

RCT, randomized controlled trial.