The effects of oral probiotic intervention on brain structure and function in human adults: a systematic review
Year: 2026
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Oral intake of probiotics has been shown to positively impact depression, anxiety, stress and cognition. Recently, an effort was made to more objectively assess their impact on brain structure and function. However, there has been no exhaustive systematic assessment of outcomes of these studies, nor the techniques utilised. Therefore, we performed a systematic review on randomised, placebo-controlled trials assessing the effects of oral probiotic interventions on brain health by imaging or electrophysiology techniques in human adults. Of 2307 articles screened, 26 articles comprising 19 studies, totalling 762 healthy subjects or patients with various diseases, were ultimately included. The quality of most studies was high. Overall, probiotic intake appears to modify resting state connectivity and activity, decrease involvement of several brain regions during negative emotional stimulation, and improve sleep quality. Several studies found correlations between brain outcomes and clinical symptom ratings, supporting the relevance of brain imaging and electrophysiology techniques in this field.
Source: npj Biofilms and Microbiomes
Institution: Örebro University
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,290
Funder: Örebro Universitet
OpenAlex ID: W7119104603