Ameliorating effect of psychobiotics and para-psychobiotics on stress: A review on in vivo and clinical studies and mechanism of action

Abstract

Chronic stress can negatively affect cognitive ability, behavioral functions, and gut microbiota balance. The gut microbiota communicates with the brain through the gut-brain axis to influence brain responses and behavior. The positive effects of psychobiotics and para-psychobiotics (viable and non-viable probiotics, respectively) on decreasing stress and stress-related disorders have been approved, previously. It has been suggested that the benefits of such probiotics are provided through different probable routes including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the immune system modulation, and the production of neurotransmitters. The recent review aims to explore the different potentials of psychobiotics and para-psychobiotics based on recent literature. The recent literature revealed that psychobiotics and para-psychobiotics could be considered as an alternative to psychotropic drugs which present dependence and side effects compared to chemical drugs.

Keywords

• Stress ameliorating effect
• Psychobiotics
• Para-psychobiotics
• The gut microbiota