About this Research Topic
Probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics are presently the primary constituents of targeted dietary intervention approaches for the regulation of intestinal microbiota. These components assume a pivotal role in maintaining health by modulating metabolism, bolstering immune function, and regulating inflammation via the gut microbiota. The brain and gut can coordinate information exchange through signaling molecules through the nervous system, immune system, and endocrine system. Consequently, the interaction known as the gut-brain axis, which encompasses the intricate network and communication between the gastrointestinal tract, enteric nervous system, and brain, has garnered significant interest within the scientific and medical domains. In the field of psychiatry, extensive and rapidly evolving research has been conducted on numerous potential probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics that exhibit beneficial effects on mental health and exert a positive influence on the gut-brain axis. In addition, probiotics can be used as delivery vehicles for therapeutic proteins or DNA, antigens for vaccination, or microbial metabolites (anti-microbials, vitamins, or enzymes). The engineering probiotics obtained from traditional probiotics through synthetic biology or genetic engineering can be another important candidate for gut-brain interaction.
This Research Topic aims to elucidate the roles of probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and engineered probiotics in regulating the beneficial effects on the gut-brain axis in psychological disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, mental illnesses, and overall brain health, encompassing both the mechanisms and molecular foundation of the gut-brain interactions. This research topic also with the aim of enhancing our understanding of probiotics and their derivatives affecting mental well-being, thereby facilitating the development of more effective nutritional intervention strategies that can effectively improve mental health.
We welcome original research and reviews on topics related, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Modulation effects of probiotics, prebiotics, and/or postbiotics on the gut-brain axis and their influence on mental and brain health, such as anxiety and related disorders, mild and severe depression, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.
• Metabolic engineering of probiotics for enhancing the significant capability (such as the enhanced interaction on the tryptophan metabolism, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis or immune system) in the improving effect of mental health, such as the enhanced probiotic gut interaction, enhanced mode of action of probiotics, effects of probiotics on, and regulation of immune function by probiotics.
• Development of gut nutrition strategies based on probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and engineering probiotics and their application in the gut-brain axis interactions.
• Mechanisms and molecular foundations of the microbe-host interaction in the gut-brain axis during the probiotics intervention.
Guest Editor Jun Feng is employed by DMC Biotechnologies and declares no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic Subject.
This Research Topic aims to elucidate the roles of probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and engineered probiotics in regulating the beneficial effects on the gut-brain axis in psychological disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, mental illnesses, and overall brain health, encompassing both the mechanisms and molecular foundation of the gut-brain interactions. This research topic also with the aim of enhancing our understanding of probiotics and their derivatives affecting mental well-being, thereby facilitating the development of more effective nutritional intervention strategies that can effectively improve mental health.
We welcome original research and reviews on topics related, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Modulation effects of probiotics, prebiotics, and/or postbiotics on the gut-brain axis and their influence on mental and brain health, such as anxiety and related disorders, mild and severe depression, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.
• Metabolic engineering of probiotics for enhancing the significant capability (such as the enhanced interaction on the tryptophan metabolism, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis or immune system) in the improving effect of mental health, such as the enhanced probiotic gut interaction, enhanced mode of action of probiotics, effects of probiotics on, and regulation of immune function by probiotics.
• Development of gut nutrition strategies based on probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and engineering probiotics and their application in the gut-brain axis interactions.
• Mechanisms and molecular foundations of the microbe-host interaction in the gut-brain axis during the probiotics intervention.
Guest Editor Jun Feng is employed by DMC Biotechnologies and declares no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic Subject.
Keywords: probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, microbiota, gut-brain axis
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
