Researchers find that depression can be identified by gut bacteria

According to researchers at UF Health Shands, it turns out you really can trust your gut.

Research has found that people living with depression have distinct gut bacteria that people without the disorder do not. Those specific types of bacteria affect inflammation within the body, including the brain, which can play a role in depression.

Researchers believe that these findings could also be used to diagnose other psychiatric disorders.

They hope to use these findings not only for diagnosis but also for prevention and treatment. It's possible that antibiotics could be developed to specifically target the bacteria that cause the disorder.