Microbes and Mental Illness: Past, Present and Future

by Robert C. Bransfield, Charlotte Mao and Rosalie Greenberg

Healthcare 2024, 12(1), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12010083

Submission received: 31 October 2023 / Revised: 30 November 2023 / Accepted: 6 December 2023 / Published: 29 December 2023

This review explores the complex relationship between microbes and mental illness, covering historical perspectives, definitions, and associated infectious agents. It highlights the evolution of mental illness etiology from supernatural beliefs to multisystem biological models incorporating gene expression, environmental factors, and immune responses. The study identifies numerous microbes linked to various mental disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Specific pathogens range from bacteria like Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease) to viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and parasites like Toxoplasma gondii. The review emphasizes the importance of understanding complex interactive infections, total load theory, and psychoneuroimmunology in mental health. It also discusses clinical presentations, early-life infections, assessment methods, and treatment approaches. The authors stress the need for interdisciplinary research and education to improve mental illness prevention, treatment, and overall outcomes, potentially reducing morbidity, disability, and mortality associated with these conditions.

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/1/83