If psychedelics heal, how do they do it?
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A January 3, 2024 Carolyn Beans
Gut microbiota may play a role in social anxiety disorder (SAD), a disabling condition marked by intense fear and avoidance of social situations. In mice, altering the gut microbiome affected social anxiety-like behaviors, suggesting that the microbiota-gut-brain axis could be a target for developing new treatments. The findings indicate that biological mechanisms involving gut bacteria contribute to SAD, offering a potential avenue for novel therapeutic strategies beyond current approaches.