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Harvard Scientists Uncover How Gut Bacteria Fuel Inflammation and Depression (scitechdaily.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by cm0002@lemmy.world to c/science@mander.xyz

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Harvard researchers have found that M. morganii may contribute to depression by producing an inflammatory molecule.

Biochemical analyses reveal how the gut bacterium Morganella morganii may contribute to some cases of major depressive disorder.
The bacterium incorporates an environmental contaminant into one of its molecules, triggering inflammation — a known factor in disease development.
These findings suggest the contaminant could serve as a biomarker and further support the idea that major depressive disorder may have autoimmune connections.

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[–] phughes@lemmy.ca 28 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

Considering how prevalent depression is I wonder how long it will be before we find out that a common processed food additive enhances the growth of Morganella morganii over other bacteria.

[–] OfCourseNot@fedia.io 6 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

M. Morganii is not at fault here. It's a contaminant, DEA (diethanolamine). Good old Morgan, a normal dweller among healthy gut microbiome, only mistakes the molecules of this bitch for sugar alcohol and incorporates them in the substance it produces triggering a response in the immune system. It's all in the article.

[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 1 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

How is it not at fault when it says its making it instead of the sugar alcohol? Its the supply for the DEA in the gut.

[–] OfCourseNot@fedia.io 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

No, the DEA is a contaminant coming from out of the organism— it's used in many industrial processes from the oil industry to production of many consumer products, lots of them things you put on your body like soaps, cosmetics, conditioner... The contaminant molecules just happen to fit in the gap of other substance molecules and take their place, they aren't synthesized by the bacteria.

[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 2 points 2 weeks ago

I don't understand the faulty product line and such then:

"Future research will be needed to confirm this faulty product of M. morganii as a definitive cause of major depressive disorder and to gauge what percentage of cases it may be responsible for."

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