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Prof Cryan & colleagues show a role for gut microbiota in social anxiety disorder in a study published in PNAS

Professor John F. Cryan & colleagues in APC Microbiome Ireland show a role for gut microbiota in social anxiety disorder in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences PNAS, one of the world's most-cited and comprehensive multidisciplinary scientific journals.

'Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a crippling psychiatric disorder characterized by intense fear or anxiety in social situations and their avoidance. However, the underlying biology of SAD is unclear and better treatments are needed. Recently, the gut microbiota has emerged as a key regulator of both brain and behaviour, especially those related to social function'.

The work by Professor Cryan and his APC colleagues 'provides the first experimental evidence that the SAD microbiota induces behavioral changes relevant to this disorder, such as increased social fear'. In the study the UCC researchers found that 'when microbes from the guts of people with SAD are transplanted into mice, the animals have an increased response to social fear'.

Professor Cryan described how 'discovering this link between the microbiota and the SAD condition is a significant breakthrough' and provides an 'ideal target for identifying novel therapeutics to improve symptoms' in people experiencing social anxiety disorder.

The exciting findings in this research publication have generated much interest in the press online TV and radio.

Press release:

Editorial: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2320425121

Press pick up

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/dec/27/gut-microbes-may-play-role-in-social-anxiety-disorder-say-researchers

Journal.ie: https://www.thejournal.ie/new-ucc-research-link-social-anxiety-disorder-and-gut-microbes-6259511-Dec2023/

Echo: https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-41298895.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Inverse: https://www.inverse.com/health/connection-gut-microbes-anxiety

Examiner: https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/healthandwellbeing/arid-41297830.html

India today: https://www.indiatoday.in/health/story/study-finds-how-gut-health-decided-our-social-anxiety-2484343-2024-01-04

Huffington Post France: https://www.huffingtonpost.fr/science/article/vous-avez-peur-des-autres-une-etude-suggere-un-lien-entre-votre-flore-intestinale-et-cette-anxiete-sociale-clx1_227611.html