An Inserm study reveals that the vagus nerve, connecting the intestine to the brain, influences the onset of depression due to abnormalities in the intestinal microbiota. Depressed people have imbalances in their intestinal microbiota. Transferring flora from a depressed individual to a healthy individual can trigger depression, confirming a causal link.
The study by Inserm, the Pasteur Institute and the CNRS demonstrates the role of the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to various organs, including the digestive system. Intestinal bacteria close to this nerve impact its activity. The researchers tested the role of this nerve in gut-brain communication in depression by transferring the microbiota from depressed mice to other healthy mice, with an intact or severed vagus nerve (vagotomy). Microbiota transfer did not induce depression in vagotomy mice.
These discoveries offer new therapeutic perspectives. Stimulating the vagus nerve through meditation or massage could strengthen the effect of treatments. In addition, modulating the activity of specific proteins in the vagus nerve could help combat the severity or recurrence of depression. Currently, only a third of patients are effectively relieved by medications, hence the importance of complementary solutions.
 Pascal Lemontel
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11/12/2023 | 
