Psychobiotics are a special class of probiotics, which deliver mental health benefits to individuals. They differ from conventional probiotics in their ability to produce or stimulate the production of neurotransmitters, short-chain fatty acids, enteroendocrine hormones and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Owing to this potential, psychobiotics have a broad spectrum of applications ranging from mood and stress alleviation to being an adjuvant in therapeutic treatment for various neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative disorders. The common psychobiotic bacteria belong to the family Lactobacilli, Streptococci, Bifidobacteria, Escherichia and Enterococci. The two-way crosstalk between the brain and the gastrointestinal system is influenced by these bacteria. The neurons present in the enteric nervous system interact directly with the neurochemicals produced by microbiota of the gut, thereby influencing the signaling to central nervous system. The present review highlights the scope and advancements made in the field, enlisting numerous commercial psychobiotic products that have flooded the market. In the latter part we discuss the potential concerns with respect to psychobiotics, such as the effects due to withdrawal, compatibility with immunocompromised patients, and the relatively unregulated probiotic market.

中文翻译：

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Psychobiotics：大脑的下一代益生菌

精神益生菌是一类特殊的益生菌，可为个人带来心理健康益处。它们与传统益生菌的不同之处在于它们能够产生或刺激神经递质、短链脂肪酸、肠内分泌激素和抗炎细胞因子的产生。由于这种潜力，精神生物素具有广泛的应用范围，从缓解情绪和压力到作为各种神经发育和神经退行性疾病治疗的佐剂。常见的精神生物细菌属于乳酸杆菌、链球菌、双歧杆菌、埃希氏菌和肠球菌科。大脑和胃肠系统之间的双向串扰受这些细菌的影响。肠道神经系统中的神经元直接与肠道微生物群产生的神经化学物质相互作用，从而影响到中枢神经系统的信号传导。本次审查重点介绍了该领域的范围和取得的进展，列举了大量涌入市场的商业精神生物产品。在后一部分中，我们讨论了与心理生物相关的潜在问题，例如戒断的影响、与免疫功能低下患者的兼容性以及相对不受监管的益生菌市场。