Home > Exploring the gut and oral microbiomes in psychoactive substance use: a scoping review of clinical studies.

Barkus, Artūras and Baltrūnienė, Vaida and Barkienė, Lina and Baušienė, Justė and Baltrūnas, Tomas and Brazys, Marius and Rauduvytė, Kornelija and Kazlauskaitė, Paulina and Baušys, Augustinas (2025) Exploring the gut and oral microbiomes in psychoactive substance use: a scoping review of clinical studies. Journal of Neurochemistry, 169, (7), e70165. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.70165.

External website: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jnc.70...

Substance use disorders (SUDs) constitute a significant global health challenge, and emerging evidence suggests that the gut and oral microbiomes may play significant roles in addiction pathophysiology, yet the human clinical literature remains fragmented. This scoping review systematically synthesizes evidence from 75 clinical studies investigating alterations in gut and oral microbiomes associated with alcohol, stimulant, cannabis, and opioid use. Across studies, beta-diversity analyses frequently reveal clear differences between substance users and controls, indicating distinct community structures. Findings on alpha diversity and specific taxonomic shifts vary by substance. Commonly observed changes included declines in beneficial short-chain fatty acid-producing taxa, alongside expansions of opportunistic or proinflammatory microorganisms. However, substantial methodological heterogeneity, including variations in study design, population characteristics, and analytical methods, complicates direct comparisons and definitive conclusions. Limited longitudinal evidence indicates partial microbiome recovery after extended abstinence, although full restoration remains uncertain. Further longitudinal research with standardized methods is needed to clarify these findings and inform potential microbiome-targeted therapies for SUDs.


Item Type
Article
Publication Type
International, Open Access, Review, Article
Drug Type
All substances
Intervention Type
Prevention, Harm reduction, Screening / Assessment
Date
July 2025
Identification #
https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.70165
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
169
Number
7
EndNote

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