Do Le Quang

ISNPR member Do Le Quang won the ISNPR Outstanding Publication award for round 1 2026 for their study ‘Circulating Short-Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) profiles as a biomarker of gut-brain axis dysfunction: A meta-analysis for the SCFA signature in major depression’, published in Biomedical Journal.

Do Le Quang shares some details about their study.

Could Gut Microbiome Help Explain Depression?

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the world, affecting millions of people and placing a significant burden on public health. Despite advances in research and treatment, the biological mechanisms of depression are not yet fully understood. In recent years, scientists have become increasingly interested in the “gut-brain axis,” a complex communication system connecting the gut microbiota, its metabolites, and the brain. Our research focuses on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are produced when gut bacteria break down dietary fibre.

SCFAs play a crucial role in maintaining the gut barrier, regulating the immune system, and influencing central nervous system function. Therefore, a decrease in SCFAs may be associated with the development of psychiatric disorders, particularly depression.

To assess the changes in SCFAs in the context of depression, we conducted a meta-analysis of human studies and a literature review of murine evidence. The results showed that individuals with major depressive disorder had significantly lower blood levels of several SCFAs compared to healthy individuals, particularly the main SCFAs such as acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid. In depressive-like murine models, SCFA depletion was frequently observed. Notably, studies have shown that SCFA supplementation may improve depression-like behaviour in murine models.

These findings further strengthen the evidence for the role of the gut-brain axis in depression and suggest that SCFAs have the potential to become biomarkers to aid in diagnosis, monitoring, or risk assessment. Although further clinical studies are needed to confirm the therapeutic efficacy in humans, our results open up new prospects for the field of nutritional psychiatry. In the future, intervention strategies focusing on fibre, probiotics, or SCFA supplementation may contribute to a more holistic approach to treating depression.