NYC Gazette

Researchers have uncovered new links between the gut and brain that could lead to more targeted treatments for depression and anxiety. The study, published in Gastroenterology, indicates that increasing serotonin levels in the gut epithelium can improve symptoms of anxiety and depression in animal studies. It also suggests a connection between antidepressant use during pregnancy and digestive issues in children.

Kara Margolis, director of the NYU Pain Research Center, stated: “Our findings suggest that there may be an advantage to targeting antidepressants selectively to the gut epithelium.” Mark Ansorge from Columbia University added that antidepressants might contribute to digestive issues in children exposed during pregnancy.

Anxiety and depression are prevalent mental health conditions in the US. Many individuals with mood disorders also experience disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), which include digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome. Antidepressants such as SSRIs are commonly prescribed but may cause gastrointestinal side effects.

The study highlights challenges posed by antidepressant use during pregnancy due to their ability to pass through the placenta and breast milk. Some research shows increased risks of mood disorders in children exposed to SSRIs during pregnancy, though results vary.

SSRIs work by blocking a protein called the serotonin transporter, raising serotonin levels primarily produced in the gut. Margolis noted: “For psychiatric medications that act on receptors in the brain, many of those same receptors are in the gut.”

In mouse models lacking the serotonin transporter, researchers observed changes affecting both mood and digestion. Removing this transporter specifically from the gut improved anxiety and depression symptoms without adverse digestive effects seen when it was absent throughout the body.

Ansorge remarked: “This adds a critical perspective to the long-held idea that therapeutic effects of SSRIs come from directly targeting the central nervous system.”

The study also examined human data regarding antidepressant use during pregnancy, finding increased risk for functional constipation among exposed children. Larissa Takser from Université de Sherbrooke reported: “At age one, 63% of children exposed to antidepressants experienced constipation compared with 31% whose mothers did not take medication.”

Despite these findings, researchers caution against altering clinical practices based solely on this study due to known risks associated with untreated maternal depression.

Margolis emphasized: “These are not clinical guidelines—rather they are a call that more research is needed.” She suggested exploring treatment options proven effective alongside medications.

The research collaboration involved multiple institutions including NYU Pain Research Center, Columbia University, Université de Sherbrooke among others with support from organizations like National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense.