Bile Acids and Functional Connectivity of Executive Control and Default Mode Networks in Patients With Major Depression

What is it about?

Certain bile acids that are made from the action of bacteria in the gut have been shown to be related to patterns of brain activity in patients with Alzheimer's disease. We examined whether bacterially-derived bile acids in patients with major depressive disorder were associated with activity in brain networks related to depression and Alzheimer's disease. We found strong correlations between the level of a bacterially-derived bile acid (lithocholic acid, LCA), as well as the ratio of LCA to the bile acid it is derived from (CDCA), and the level of brain activity in the executive control network, which is a vital network for cognitive function. This work has implications for understanding how the gut microbiome may affect brain networks relevant for both major depression and Alzheimer's disease.

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