Are Mouth Bacteria and Schizophrenia Linked?

According to two recent studies, someone with schizophrenia has different groups of bacteria within them compared to someone without the condition. These studies have led researchers to believe that specific types of mouth bacteria may be related to the disorder. Such a discovery could provide a new way to help medical professionals diagnose patients and prescribe proper treatment earlier.

Schizophrenia affects how you think, feel, and act. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, confused thoughts, difficulty with speech, trouble concentrating, repetitive movements, depression, withdrawal, and overall struggles with basic daily life. Symptoms may come and go and can occur once at a time, usually beginning between the ages of 16 and 30.

Bacteria and the Brain

The initial study was published by the journal Peer J . The study explained that lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus gasseri , were 400 times greater in patients with schizophrenia than patients without the condition. Previous studies have mentioned that the microbiome, the complete number of microbes in the body, may affect other similar conditions like depression. Probiotics are considered to be beneficial to the human body. Specifically, lactobactillus phage phiadh can help enhance the immune system and aid in digestion. It’s found primarily in the intestines, but it’s been linked to regulating emotional behavior and anxiety.

Doctors aren’t certain what causes schizophrenia in patients. According to researchers, it’s often a combination of genetics and a person’s environment that may trigger the disorder. If an immediate relative like a parent or sibling is diagnosed, the chances of being diagnosed is 40 percent. However, there are some cases where a patient may be diagnosed without any family history of the disease. Environmental triggers may include viral infections and drug use as possible causes.

Microbiomes and Probiotics

The association between microbiomes and schizophrenia is still new territory. The microbiome has been shown to alter brain development and modulate behavior and cognition. For humans, this means it could affect many disorders.

The second study, published by Schizophrenia Bulletin , took place in the Psychiatric Research Center in Maryland, headed by scientists from John Hopkins School of Medicine and Maryland’s Sheppard Pratt Health System. They found that levels of probiotics, especially lactobactillus phage phiadh , were different in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia compared to those who weren’t diagnosed with the condition.

Granted, these studies were performed addressing only bacteria in the throat, but it’s a start for future studies. Understanding the differences in schizophrenic and non-schizophrenic patients can help doctors accurately diagnose patients quicker. Also, understanding what effects the disease has can help advance treatments for schizophrenia.

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