Is a Stress Shot on the Horizon?

Immunization with beneficial bacteria can have long-lasting anti-inflammatory effects on the brain, making it more resilient to the physical and behavioral effects of stress, according to new research by University of Colorado Boulder scientists. The findings, if replicated in clinical trials could ultimately lead to new probiotic-based immunizations to protect against posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety or new treatments for depression, the authors say. "We found that in rodents this particular bacterium, Mycobacterium vaccae, actually shifts the environment in the brain toward an anti-inflammatory state," said lead author Matthew Frank, a senior research associate in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. "If you could do that in people, it could have broad implications for a number of neuroinflammatory diseases." Anxiety, PTSD and other stress-related mental disorders impact as many as one in four people in their lifetime. Mounting research suggests that stress-induced brain inflammation can boost risk of such disorders, in part by impacting mood-influencing neurotransmitters like norepinephrine or dopamine. https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/news/is-a-stress-shot-on-the-horizon-304795?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63575853&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_19k-W99OJWwUJxSyNjTTQR0wiS6-7Fba_ObgU61ORqGyi0ZoOlk5Bu7-pFU30gxSx3tSaIqo-GN5hmRI0SM17na--AQ&_hsmi=63575853