biostudies-literatureUnknown16Majie W<h4>Introduction</h4>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.<h4>Methods</h4>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.<h4>Results</h4>Both SCZ and BD patients exhibiteFrontiers in microbiology1735998https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12853643biostudies-literature&lt;i&gt;Parabacteroides&lt;/i&gt; distinguishes bipolar disorder from schizophrenia: toward a microbial biomarker for differential diagnosis.PMC12853643Qianyan JYifang HYaping CYucheng WMajie WWei CLonghui LWeiwei XYuncui Hfalse&lt;i&gt;Parabacteroides&lt;/i&gt; distinguishes bipolar disorder from schizophrenia: toward a microbial biomarker for differential diagnosis.<h4>Introduction</h4>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.<h4>Methods</h4>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.<h4>Results</h4>Both SCZ and BD patients exhibite2025-01-01T00:00:00Z20252026-06-19T05:00:40.716Z2026-06-19T03:07:26.461ZS-EPMC128536434162364510.3389/fmicb.2025.1735998