Gut Bacteria Affect Teen Anxiety Disorders

ScienceDaily published a report on a study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine and published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, which revealed a causal relationship between gut microbiome composition and the severity of social anxiety symptoms in adolescents. Researchers analyzed stool and blood samples from 200 adolescents aged 14 to 17, half of whom suffered from severe social anxiety and the other half were healthy.

The journal reported that adolescents with social anxiety had significantly lower levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria, and higher levels of toxin-producing Clostridium bacteria. When stool samples from anxious adolescents were transferred to germ-free mice, the mice exhibited clear anxiety-like behaviors (avoiding interaction with other mice, increased freezing time in novel situations). Meanwhile, the mice’s symptoms improved after receiving probiotic supplements containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

• Age-specific effect: The same effect was not observed in adults (over 25 years old), suggesting a “critical window” during adolescence for modifying the microbiome.

• Clinical application: The research team has initiated a small clinical trial involving 30 adolescents using customized probiotics, with preliminary results showing a 40 percent improvement in anxiety measures after eight weeks.

The report added that researchers warn probiotics do not replace cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or medication in severe cases, but they may serve as a powerful adjunct. The study concluded that modifying the gut microbiome during adolescence may open a new approach to preventing anxiety disorders before they become chronic in adulthood.