Neuroinflammation, the gut-brain axis, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: A synthesis of emerging paradigms in psychiatric care
Future Health February 13, 2026 Anita Verma, Ravisankar Thamilarasan, Harshit Kumar
Psychiatric disorders remain a leading cause of disability worldwide, and current treatments based on monoaminergic modulation often have limited efficacy and high relapse rates. This review synthesizes evidence from three advancing fields to propose an integrated model for psychiatric pathophysiology and treatment. Neuroinflammation—chronic activation of the brain's innate immune system—is identified as a key transdiagnostic mechanism in major depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is highlighted as a bidirectional communication network that regulates systemic immunity and drives neuroinflammation through increased intestinal permeability and dysbiosis.