Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Depression—Case Report

Jessica P.K. Doll; Jorge F. Vázquez-Castellanos; Anna Chiara Schaub; Nina Schweinfurth; Cedric Kettelhack; Else Schneider; Gulnara Yamanbaeva; Laura Mählmann; Serge Brand; Christoph Beglinger; Stefan Borgwardt; Jeroen Raes; Andreas Schmidt; Undine E. Lang

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.815422

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Depression—Case Report

Jessica P.K. Doll, Jorge F. Vázquez-Castellanos, Anna Chiara Schaub, Nina Schweinfurth, Cedric Kettelhack, Else Schneider, Gulnara Yamanbaeva, Laura Mählmann, Serge Brand, Christoph Beglinger, Stefan Borgwardt, Jeroen Raes, Andreas Schmidt^*, Undine E. Lang

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapie

119 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Depression is a debilitating disorder, and at least one third of patients do not respond to therapy. Associations between gut microbiota and depression have been observed in recent years, opening novel treatment avenues. Here, we present the first two patients with major depressive disorder ever treated with fecal microbiota transplantation as add-on therapy. Both improved their depressive symptoms 4 weeks after the transplantation. Effects lasted up to 8 weeks in one patient. Gastrointestinal symptoms, constipation in particular, were reflected in microbiome changes and improved in one patient. This report suggests further FMT studies in depression could be worth pursuing and adds to awareness as well as safety assurance, both crucial in determining the potential of FMT in depression treatment.

Original language	English
Article number	815422
Journal	Frontiers in Psychiatry
Volume	13
Pages (from-to)	815422
ISSN	1664-0640
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.815422
Publication status	Published - 17.02.2022

Funding

This work was supported by the Gertrud Thalmann-Fonds (SBo, UL), Seerave Foundation (UL), Kämpf-Bötschi Stiftung (UL), and Research Fund Junior Researchers of the University of Basel (Appln 3MS1041, AS). JV-C was supported by the postdoctoral fellowships from the Research Fund–Flanders (FWO 1236321N). The Raes lab was supported by VIB, KU Leuven, and the Rega Foundation.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

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Doll, J. P. K., Vázquez-Castellanos, J. F., Schaub, A. C., Schweinfurth, N., Kettelhack, C., Schneider, E., Yamanbaeva, G., Mählmann, L., Brand, S., Beglinger, C., Borgwardt, S., Raes, J., Schmidt, A., & Lang, U. E. (2022). Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Depression—Case Report. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 815422. Article 815422. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.815422

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title = "Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Depression—Case Report",

abstract = "Depression is a debilitating disorder, and at least one third of patients do not respond to therapy. Associations between gut microbiota and depression have been observed in recent years, opening novel treatment avenues. Here, we present the first two patients with major depressive disorder ever treated with fecal microbiota transplantation as add-on therapy. Both improved their depressive symptoms 4 weeks after the transplantation. Effects lasted up to 8 weeks in one patient. Gastrointestinal symptoms, constipation in particular, were reflected in microbiome changes and improved in one patient. This report suggests further FMT studies in depression could be worth pursuing and adds to awareness as well as safety assurance, both crucial in determining the potential of FMT in depression treatment.",

author = "Doll, \{Jessica P.K.\} and V{\'a}zquez-Castellanos, \{Jorge F.\} and Schaub, \{Anna Chiara\} and Nina Schweinfurth and Cedric Kettelhack and Else Schneider and Gulnara Yamanbaeva and Laura M{\"a}hlmann and Serge Brand and Christoph Beglinger and Stefan Borgwardt and Jeroen Raes and Andreas Schmidt and Lang, \{Undine E.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2022 Doll, V{\'a}zquez-Castellanos, Schaub, Schweinfurth, Kettelhack, Schneider, Yamanbaeva, M{\"a}hlmann, Brand, Beglinger, Borgwardt, Raes, Schmidt and Lang.",

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Doll, JPK, Vázquez-Castellanos, JF, Schaub, AC, Schweinfurth, N, Kettelhack, C, Schneider, E, Yamanbaeva, G, Mählmann, L, Brand, S, Beglinger, C, Borgwardt, S, Raes, J, Schmidt, A & Lang, UE 2022, 'Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Depression—Case Report', Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 13, 815422, pp. 815422. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.815422

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T1 - Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Depression—Case Report

AU - Doll, Jessica P.K.

AU - Vázquez-Castellanos, Jorge F.

AU - Schaub, Anna Chiara

AU - Schweinfurth, Nina

AU - Kettelhack, Cedric

AU - Schneider, Else

AU - Yamanbaeva, Gulnara

AU - Mählmann, Laura

AU - Brand, Serge

AU - Beglinger, Christoph

AU - Borgwardt, Stefan

AU - Raes, Jeroen

AU - Schmidt, Andreas

AU - Lang, Undine E.

PY - 2022/2/17

Y1 - 2022/2/17

N2 - Depression is a debilitating disorder, and at least one third of patients do not respond to therapy. Associations between gut microbiota and depression have been observed in recent years, opening novel treatment avenues. Here, we present the first two patients with major depressive disorder ever treated with fecal microbiota transplantation as add-on therapy. Both improved their depressive symptoms 4 weeks after the transplantation. Effects lasted up to 8 weeks in one patient. Gastrointestinal symptoms, constipation in particular, were reflected in microbiome changes and improved in one patient. This report suggests further FMT studies in depression could be worth pursuing and adds to awareness as well as safety assurance, both crucial in determining the potential of FMT in depression treatment.

AB - Depression is a debilitating disorder, and at least one third of patients do not respond to therapy. Associations between gut microbiota and depression have been observed in recent years, opening novel treatment avenues. Here, we present the first two patients with major depressive disorder ever treated with fecal microbiota transplantation as add-on therapy. Both improved their depressive symptoms 4 weeks after the transplantation. Effects lasted up to 8 weeks in one patient. Gastrointestinal symptoms, constipation in particular, were reflected in microbiome changes and improved in one patient. This report suggests further FMT studies in depression could be worth pursuing and adds to awareness as well as safety assurance, both crucial in determining the potential of FMT in depression treatment.

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JO - Frontiers in Psychiatry

JF - Frontiers in Psychiatry

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Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Depression—Case Report

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UN SDGs

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