"The study supports the development of AI-assisted diagnosis, microbiome-based therapies, neuromodulation strategies, and personalized treatments."
The Brain-Gut Health Initiative (BIGHI), a longitudinal study in China, has identified coordinated changes linking gut microbes, brain networks, and symptoms in major psychiatric disorders. The research involved over 1,200 participants aged 18-45, including patients with schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder, as well as healthy controls.
Methods
Participants underwent multiple assessments:
- Clinical evaluations and neurocognitive testing
- Resting-state electroencephalography (EEG)
- Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Blood-based inflammatory and metabolic profiling
- Fecal genomic sequencing
- Lifestyle and dietary surveys
Key Results
EEG features, such as altered neural microstates and reduced alpha-band activity, may serve as non-invasive biomarkers for disease severity and treatment response.
MRI data revealed widespread brain network alterations. Machine learning models distinguished schizophrenia patients from healthy individuals with high accuracy. Distinct connectivity patterns were associated with suicidal thoughts in bipolar disorder and childhood trauma in depression.
Gut bacteria changes included a decrease in beneficial short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria and an increase in pro-inflammatory microbes. These shifts were linked to symptom severity, oxidative stress, and cognitive performance.
Combined brain and gut data analysis showed brain-derived profiles were more closely related to symptom severity, while gut-based profiles were more strongly linked to cognitive performance. Differences in gut bacteria correlated with changes in brain functions.
Integrated analysis of neuroimaging, microbiome, and blood biomarkers indicated accelerated biological aging in patients with schizophrenia.
Significance
BIGHI is described by its organizers as the first prospective cohort in China dedicated to investigating the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) in psychiatric disorders. The study supports the development of AI-assisted diagnosis, microbiome-based therapies, neuromodulation strategies, and personalized treatments.
Limitations
The cohort is currently based at a single research center, and longitudinal follow-up is ongoing.