Cognitive Reactivity as an Enterotype Specific Mediator Between Gut Microbiota Diversity and General Psychological Distress

The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a primary framework for understanding how gut microbiota influence behavior and cognition. While lower gut microbial diversity is generally considered harmful, findings linking it to depression, anxiety, and stress remain inconsistent. I investigated this relationship together with cognitive reactivity as a mediator, given its role in predicting general psychological distress. Cognitive Reactivity is the tendency for mild negative mood to trigger maladaptive thinking. Additionally, the impact of gut microbial diversity may be dependent on gut traits. I examined whether enterotype, a stable gut classification based on dominant microbes (here: Bacteroides vs. Prevotella), moderates the associations between gut microbial diversity, cognitive reactivity, and general psychological distress. I expected cognitive reactivity to be confirmed as a mediator, and the direct and indirect pathways to be moderated by enterotype. In this cross-sectional study, 78...Show moreThe microbiota-gut-brain axis is a primary framework for understanding how gut microbiota influence behavior and cognition. While lower gut microbial diversity is generally considered harmful, findings linking it to depression, anxiety, and stress remain inconsistent. I investigated this relationship together with cognitive reactivity as a mediator, given its role in predicting general psychological distress. Cognitive Reactivity is the tendency for mild negative mood to trigger maladaptive thinking. Additionally, the impact of gut microbial diversity may be dependent on gut traits. I examined whether enterotype, a stable gut classification based on dominant microbes (here: Bacteroides vs. Prevotella), moderates the associations between gut microbial diversity, cognitive reactivity, and general psychological distress. I expected cognitive reactivity to be confirmed as a mediator, and the direct and indirect pathways to be moderated by enterotype. In this cross-sectional study, 78 healthy adults without antibiotic use in the past 12 months provided stool samples for 16S rRNA sequencing to determine alpha diversity (Shannon and Simpson indices) and enterotype. The Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised was used to assess cognitive reactivity, and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (42) to assess general psychological distress. The results of the moderated mediation indicated no significant direct effect of alpha diversity on general psychological distress in the full sample. However, a significant indirect effect was found for individuals with a Bacteroides enterotype. In contrast to the Prevotella enterotype, Bacteroides individuals showed a significant negative association of alpha diversity with cognitive reactivity and general psychological distress. These findings suggest that the benefits of higher gut microbial diversity are dependent on gut traits such as enterotypes. This study highlights the importance of including enterotypes in microbiota-gut-brain axis research and suggests that microbiota-based interventions for mental health should be personalized based on an individual's enterotypes.Show less

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Cognitive Reactivity as an Enterotype Specific Mediator Between Gut Microbiota Diversity and General Psychological Distress