Could eating yoghurt help treat depression?

Anew research reveals that probiotics found in natural yogurt could help boost a person's mood because they affect brain function. Previous studies have shown that beneficial bacteria affected the brains of rats, but no research has confirmed that the same occurred in human brains. The study found that those who ate probiotic yoghurt twice daily for a month showed altered brain function, both in resting brain activity and in response to an 'emotional attention task', which was designed to monitor how the brain responded to certain emotions.      It has also been known that the brain sends signals to the gut (stomach), which is why stress and other emotions can contribute to gastrointestinal symptoms.      "Our findings indicate that some of the contents of yogurt may change the way our brain responds to the environment," said study author Kirsten Tillisch. "Time and time again, we hear from patients that they never felt depressed or anxious until they started experiencing problems with their gut. Our study shows that the gut-brain connection is a two-way street," she said.      The researchers added that what we eat alters the way our gut bacteria breaks down food and also suggested that specific probiotic strains in yoghurt could havehealth benefits such as relieving anxiety, stress, and other mood symptoms over time. It is possible that changing the composition of gut bacteria could lead to treatments for chronic pain disorders as well as symptoms of brain conditions like autism, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease.      IANS Specific probiotic strains in yoghurt could relieve anxiety