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First results of "The effect of prebiotics on emotional processing and working memory in healthy volunteers" (Phil Burnet with Kristin Schmidt, Catherine Harmer, Philip Cowen, Steven Errington, George Tzortzis)

And here is our Clio's article in The Independent:

Clio Korn, 7th Jan 2015: "Gut bacteria, prebiotics and the link between helping stress, anxiety and depression" (Clio blogs at Neurobabble)

Health notes
Mail on Sunday, 30/11/2014, p.69
Prebiotic supplement Bimuno could be used to treat anxiety. A clinical trial, conducted by the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry and published in the journal Psychopharmacology, looked at the effect of the powder on levels of stress hormones in the body, as well as mood. The study, on 45 healthy people, claims nutritional therapies might aid the management of these conditions, with Bimuno found to reduce the amount of stress hormone the most. Trials are now planned on individuals suffering anxiety.

The Surprising Link Between Gut Bacteria And Anxiety
Huffington Post (USA), 04/01/2015, Carolyn Gregoire
‘Promising new research from neurobiologists at the University of Oxford’ offers preliminary evidence of a connection between gut bacteria and mental health in humans. The researchers found that supplements designed to boost healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract (prebiotics) may have an anti-anxiety effect in altering the way that people process emotional information.

Could probiotics ease anxiety and depression?
CBS News (USA), 29/12/2014, Rachael Rettner via LiveScience
A new study has found that supplements that boost "good" bacteria in the gut may alter the way people process emotional information. Scientists are interested in whether probiotics (strains of good bacteria) or prebiotics (carbohydrates that serve as food for those bacteria) could be used to treat anxiety or depression, or if the substances improve patients' response to psychiatric drugs, said study author Philip Burnet, a researcher at the University of Oxford. In the study 45 healthy people aged 18 to 45 took either a prebiotic or a placebo, every day for three weeks. At the end of the study, they completed several computer tests to assess how they processed emotional information, such as negative and positive words. During one computer test, people who took the prebiotic paid less attention to negative information, and more attention to positive information, compared with people who took a placebo. The study also found that people who took the prebiotics had lower levels of cortisol in their saliva when they woke up in the morning, compared with people who took a placebo. However experts caution that the idea that taking a probiotic or a prebiotic could improve mental health in humans is still an unproven hypothesis that needs to be investigated with further research.

Also:

Gut Feeling? Probiotics May Ease Anxiety and Depression
LiveScience  (USA), 24/12/2014, Rachael Rettner

Probiotics supplements may ease anxiety and depression
Business Standard India, 27/12/2014, via IANS

Probiotics supplements may ease anxiety and depression
Economic Times (India), 27/12/2014, via IANS

Probiotics supplements can ease anxiety and depression
Hindustan Times (India), 28/12/2014, via IANS

Probiotics may ease anxiety, depression
Times of India, 29/12/2014, via IANS

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