Decreased Gut Microbiome Tryptophan Metabolism and Serotonergic Signaling in Patients With Persistent Mental Health and Gastrointestinal Symptoms After COVID-19.
Clin Transl Gastroenterol
; 13(10): e00524, 2022 10 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2025671
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
An estimated 15%-29% of patients report new gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms after coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) while 4%-31% report new depressive symptoms. These symptoms may be secondary to gut microbiome tryptophan metabolism and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-based signaling.METHODS:
This study used specimens from 2 patient cohorts (i) fecal samples from patients with acute COVID-19 who participated in a randomized controlled trial testing prebiotic fiber and (ii) blood samples from patients with acute COVID-19. Six months after recovering from COVID-19, both cohorts answered questions related to GI symptoms and anxiety or depression. Microbiome composition and function, focusing on tryptophan metabolism-associated pathways, and plasma 5-HT were assessed.RESULTS:
In the first cohort (n = 13), gut microbiome L-tryptophan biosynthesis during acute COVID-19 was decreased among those who developed more severe GI symptoms (2.0-fold lower log activity comparing those with the most severe GI symptoms vs those with no symptoms, P = 0.06). All tryptophan pathways showed decreased activity among those with more GI symptoms. The same pathways were also decreased in those with the most severe mental health symptoms after COVID-19. In an untargeted analysis, 5 additional metabolic pathways significantly differed based on subsequent development of GI symptoms. In the second cohort (n = 39), plasma 5-HT concentration at the time of COVID-19 was increased 5.1-fold in those with GI symptoms alone compared with those with mental health symptoms alone ( P = 0.02).DISCUSSION:
Acute gut microbiome-mediated reduction in 5-HT signaling may contribute to long-term GI and mental health symptoms after COVID-19. Future studies should explore modification of 5-HT signaling to reduce post-COVID symptoms.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
/
Gastrointestinal Diseases
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Clin Transl Gastroenterol
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ctg.0000000000000524
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