Altered gut microbial diversity, composition, and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attempt
This study investigates the role of the gut microbiome in suicidal behavior among individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). Fecal samples from 50 hospitalized patients with MDD, including 35 with recent suicide attempts (60 % female) and 15 without a history of suicide (73 % female), were an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-10-01
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| Series: | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625001395 |
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| author | Emese Prandovszky Hua Liu Emily G. Severance Victor W. Splan Faith B. Dickerson Robert H. Yolken |
| author_facet | Emese Prandovszky Hua Liu Emily G. Severance Victor W. Splan Faith B. Dickerson Robert H. Yolken |
| author_sort | Emese Prandovszky |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the role of the gut microbiome in suicidal behavior among individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). Fecal samples from 50 hospitalized patients with MDD, including 35 with recent suicide attempts (60 % female) and 15 without a history of suicide (73 % female), were analyzed using 16S rRNA and shotgun sequencing to assess microbiome diversity and metabolic potential. Results revealed that suicide attempters exhibited significantly greater microbial richness and distinct beta-diversity patterns. Notably, they had higher levels of Fenollaria timonensis and lower levels of Corynebacterium aurimucosum. Additionally, 25 metabolic pathways differed between groups, with several linked to energy metabolism and amino acid processing—processes previously associated with MDD and suicidal behavior. These findings suggest that microbiome composition may influence suicide risk through gut-brain axis-mediated pathways, although due to the exploratory nature of this study further investigation is needed to validate our findings. Given the microbiome's modifiability, future research should explore microbial-targeted interventions as a potential strategy for suicide prevention in individuals with MDD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a7a4caf4cdec4ab89ea95ae2bf0e398d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-3546 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-a7a4caf4cdec4ab89ea95ae2bf0e398d2025-08-20T03:46:47ZengElsevierBrain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health2666-35462025-10-014810108110.1016/j.bbih.2025.101081Altered gut microbial diversity, composition, and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attemptEmese Prandovszky0Hua Liu1Emily G. Severance2Victor W. Splan3Faith B. Dickerson4Robert H. Yolken5Division of Stanley Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Corresponding author.Division of Stanley Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADivision of Stanley Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADivision of Stanley Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Psychology, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USADivision of Stanley Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USAThis study investigates the role of the gut microbiome in suicidal behavior among individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). Fecal samples from 50 hospitalized patients with MDD, including 35 with recent suicide attempts (60 % female) and 15 without a history of suicide (73 % female), were analyzed using 16S rRNA and shotgun sequencing to assess microbiome diversity and metabolic potential. Results revealed that suicide attempters exhibited significantly greater microbial richness and distinct beta-diversity patterns. Notably, they had higher levels of Fenollaria timonensis and lower levels of Corynebacterium aurimucosum. Additionally, 25 metabolic pathways differed between groups, with several linked to energy metabolism and amino acid processing—processes previously associated with MDD and suicidal behavior. These findings suggest that microbiome composition may influence suicide risk through gut-brain axis-mediated pathways, although due to the exploratory nature of this study further investigation is needed to validate our findings. Given the microbiome's modifiability, future research should explore microbial-targeted interventions as a potential strategy for suicide prevention in individuals with MDD.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625001395Recent suicide attemptMicrobiomeShotgun sequencingMetabolomic profilingGut-brain axis |
| spellingShingle | Emese Prandovszky Hua Liu Emily G. Severance Victor W. Splan Faith B. Dickerson Robert H. Yolken Altered gut microbial diversity, composition, and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attempt Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health Recent suicide attempt Microbiome Shotgun sequencing Metabolomic profiling Gut-brain axis |
| title | Altered gut microbial diversity, composition, and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attempt |
| title_full | Altered gut microbial diversity, composition, and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attempt |
| title_fullStr | Altered gut microbial diversity, composition, and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attempt |
| title_full_unstemmed | Altered gut microbial diversity, composition, and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attempt |
| title_short | Altered gut microbial diversity, composition, and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attempt |
| title_sort | altered gut microbial diversity composition and metabolomic potential in patients with major depressive disorder and recent suicide attempt |
| topic | Recent suicide attempt Microbiome Shotgun sequencing Metabolomic profiling Gut-brain axis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625001395 |
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