<i>Parabacteroides</i> distinguishes bipolar disorder from schizophrenia: toward a microbial biomarker for differential diagnosis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) are severe psychiatric disorders with overlapping clinical manifestations and shared biological mechanisms. Growing evidence implicates the gut microbiota in neuroimmune and metabolic regulation, suggesting a potential role in the pathophysiology and heterogeneity of psychiatric disorders.

Methods

In this comparative study, fecal samples were collected from 43 patients with SCZ, 19 patients with BD, and 40 healthy controls (HC). Gut microbial composition was profiled using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Microbial diversity, taxonomic composition, and predicted functional pathways were analyzed, and associations between key taxa and clinical symptom dimensions were assessed.

Results

Both SCZ and BD patients exhibite

SUBMITTER: Majie W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12853643 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature