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Harvard Scientists Uncover How Gut Bacteria Fuel Inflammation and Depression (scitechdaily.com)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by cm0002@lemmy.world to c/science@mander.xyz

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Harvard researchers have found that M. morganii may contribute to depression by producing an inflammatory molecule.

Biochemical analyses reveal how the gut bacterium Morganella morganii may contribute to some cases of major depressive disorder.
The bacterium incorporates an environmental contaminant into one of its molecules, triggering inflammation — a known factor in disease development.
These findings suggest the contaminant could serve as a biomarker and further support the idea that major depressive disorder may have autoimmune connections.

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[–] astronaut_sloth@mander.xyz 18 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I was reading something similar a few months ago about how the American obesity epidemic came out of nowhere and exploded in the 20th and 21st centuries, and places with the highest antibiotic use also has a correlated obesity rate.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of our modern chronic issues that seemed to come from nowhere (not that they didn't exist before but just became much more prevalent) will be traced in some way back to effects from messing with the human microbiome.

[–] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

As a lifelong fattie, I have been assured for decades that all I have to do is eat right and exercise but I'm just too lazy so I deserve what I get. Tiny invisible creatures can affect my health? Next thing you'll be telling me is that having my outhouse next to the well is causing my family to get sick. We both know it's demons. FFS.

Please excuse me while I crawl back into my depression hole, partially mitigated by SSRIs, which somehow also induce GI issues for reasons completely unknown to science. Can't wait for RFK's camps, maybe I can finally get healthy there.

[–] ericjmorey@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

I hope you find your way. Depression is insidious, but millions of people find a way through to live a self-satisfying life. I hope you can be one of us.

[–] zout@fedia.io 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

places with the highest antibiotic use also has a correlated obesity rate

I agree that antibiotics should only be taken with extreme prejudice, but playing devils advocate you could also conclude that the antibiotics are working since illness correlates with malnutrition.

[–] dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net 9 points 1 month ago

Or some other correlated factor with no causative relationship. Like, obesity being tied to generally worse health outcomes so where antibiotics were less commonly used obese people died from infections more often. Like horse ownership correlating with better overall health, but the causative factor is “being wealthy enough to own horses.”