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Transferring the blues: Depression-associated gut microbiota induces neurobehavioural changes in the rat

Kelly JR, Borre Y, O'Brien C, et al. · Journal of Psychiatric Research 2016

Animal experiment

Key finding

Rats given gut bacteria from depressed humans developed depression-like behaviour.

In plain language

One of the strongest causal signals available — but in rats. It shows the gut community can drive behaviour, without proving it does so in people.

How much weight this carries

Real evidence exists, but it is early, limited, or not yet replicated widely.

Cite or read it

Kelly JR, Borre Y, O'Brien C, et al. (2016). Transferring the blues: Depression-associated gut microbiota induces neurobehavioural changes in the rat. Journal of Psychiatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.07.019

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