ArticleEuropean journal of psychotraumatology2026
The microbiome and PTSD: a scoping review across preclinical and clinical studies.
Article in European journal of psychotraumatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Gut-Brain Axis in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: From Biological Mechanisms to Microbiome-Based Therapeutic Strategies-A Narrative Review.Microorganisms · 2026Review
- The gut microbiota-immune-brain axis in post-traumatic stress disorder: mechanistic integration and translational prospects.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Gut microbiota profiles and potential biomarkers in pre-pubertal females with ADHD.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPosttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that substantially impairs quality of life and global health. Emerging evidence implicates that the human microbiome contributes to PTSD pathophysiology via gut-brain-immune interactions, although the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic implications remain unclear.
objectiveThis review aimed to systematically map the evidence linking microbiome alterations to PTSD, with a focus on mechanistic pathways, therapeutic potential, and research gaps.
methodsThis scoping review was conducted in Medline, Embase, and PsychINFO from inception to 18-03-2025. Eligible studies included human participants with PTSD and preclinical rodent models employing validated PTSD paradigms. Outcomes of interest included microbiome diversity and composition, gut-brain axis biomarkers, and effects of microbiome-targeted interventions.
resultsFifty studies were included, comprising 20 human, 29 preclinical and one cross-species study. Human observational studies frequently observed reduced overall microbial diversity, along with a loss of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, such as Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, and an increased abundance of
conclusionCurrent evidence supports an association between PTSD and microbiome alterations, with convergent human and preclinical findings. However, human research remains limited by small, cross-sectional designs, which preclude causal inferences. Rigorous longitudinal and interventional studies are required to establish causality and assess microbiome-targeted therapies as adjuncts in PTSD treatment.
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Registered trials
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