A recent study suggests that newlywed couples may be transferring mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, through their shared gut bacteria. Researchers found that healthy spouses of partners with insomnia, depression, and anxiety developed similar symptoms within six months of marriage.
The study discovered strong links between shared bacterial strains, cortisol levels, and worsening mental health scores in the healthy partner. The researchers identified key bacteria, including Clostridia, Veillonella, Bacillus, and Lachnospiraceae, which were associated with depression and anxiety.
While the findings are not conclusive, they hint at a possible “gut-brain” connection between intimate partners. This association highlights a potential route for emotional contagion through shared microbiota.
The study involved 1,740 couples who had been married for six months, comparing healthy control spouses to those with affected partners. The researchers found that after six months, the healthy spouses’ sleep quality, depression, and anxiety scores increased significantly, mirroring their partner’s symptoms.
Their oral microbiota also changed, becoming more similar to that of their affected spouse. This shift was linked to altered salivary cortisol levels and worsening mental health scores in the healthy partner.
The study suggests that the transmission of oral microbiota plays a partial role in mediating depression and anxiety among couples. Further research is needed to confirm whether this association is causal, but if established, it could have significant implications for contemporary research into microbiome-host interactions.
Source: https://neurosciencenews.com/oral-microbiome-emotional-contagion-29135