BRISTOL, England, April 2 (UPI) -- A British study suggests soil bacteria might help fight depression by activating a group of neurons that produce the brain chemical serotonin.
Researchers at University College London and the University of Bristol found mice treated with the bacteria altered their behavior in a way similar to that produced by antidepressant drugs.
Chris Lowry of Bristol University, lead author of the research, said: "These studies help us understand how the body communicates with the brain and why a healthy immune system is important for maintaining mental health. They also leave us wondering if we shouldn't all be spending more time playing in the dirt."
Interest in the project arose after human cancer patients being treated with the bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae unexpectedly reported increases in their quality of life. Lowry and colleagues reasoned that effect could be caused by activation of neurons in the brain that contained serotonin.
Although the research supports that hypothesis, future studies will determine if M. vaccae, other bacteria, or pharmaceutical compounds have antidepressant properties through activation of this group of serotonin neurons.
The study is published in the latest issue of the journal Neuroscience.
