3 ms·

absolutely. I would hope people don't now start doing fecal transplants for treating depression, or Alzheimers, or schizophrenia. These results, interesting tho

absolutely. I would hope people don't now start doing fecal transplants for treating depression, or Alzheimers, or schizophrenia. These results, interesting though they may be, are not a cure; they may not even be diagnostic. But clearly, diet, the gut microbiome, the immune system, at the very least, are linked, and linked tightly. So it would not be surprising at all, that there's a microbiome component. But we don't know what it is; how it affects the underlying disorder, and how to approach it for treatment as of now. And as you alluded to with "genetic risk factor"; its well possible that though there is a component of the microbiome involved in the disease; it may not be significant enough to act as a vector for treatment. Or that it is just a comorbidity. We just don't know!

belltaco 8y ago
>I would hope people don't now start doing fecal transplants for treating depression, or Alzheimers, or schizophrenia. Why not? That would be a fast way to find out if it works.
- tsomctl 8y ago
  Because if they keep eating a poor diet that encourages an unhealthy biome, they're going to defeat the point of a fecal transplant.
  - moh_maya 8y ago
    And you don't know what downsides fecal transplants may have. There's clear preliminary evidence that gut microbiomes can drive obesity. Imagine giving someone who is not obese / diabetic a fecal transplant to treat depression. That doesn't work (the treating depression part), but suddenly, this person becomes more susceptible to obesity / develops diabetes. These things must not be rushed into!
    - hnick 8y ago
      I'm not sure if you're alluding to this, but it's supposedly already happened. https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/2/1/ofv004/1461242 https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/2/1/ofv004/1461242
      - moh_maya 8y ago
        Damn. Thanks for the link. I was just speculating.. I don't think the authors are drawing a casual effect here; in effect, this is scientific anecdata: hey, we tried this and this happened. We think you should know. I think it's great they published the result, even if the n=1. Assuming this is due to the fecal transplant, it just goes to show, we are messing with a major functional system in the body. And we should tread very very carefully. Scary..

belltaco 8y ago

>I would hope people don't now start doing fecal transplants for treating depression, or Alzheimers, or schizophrenia. Why not? That would be a fast way to find out if it works.

tsomctl 8y ago
Because if they keep eating a poor diet that encourages an unhealthy biome, they're going to defeat the point of a fecal transplant.
- moh_maya 8y ago
  And you don't know what downsides fecal transplants may have. There's clear preliminary evidence that gut microbiomes can drive obesity. Imagine giving someone who is not obese / diabetic a fecal transplant to treat depression. That doesn't work (the treating depression part), but suddenly, this person becomes more susceptible to obesity / develops diabetes. These things must not be rushed into!
  - hnick 8y ago
    I'm not sure if you're alluding to this, but it's supposedly already happened. https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/2/1/ofv004/1461242 https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/2/1/ofv004/1461242
    - moh_maya 8y ago
      Damn. Thanks for the link. I was just speculating.. I don't think the authors are drawing a casual effect here; in effect, this is scientific anecdata: hey, we tried this and this happened. We think you should know. I think it's great they published the result, even if the n=1. Assuming this is due to the fecal transplant, it just goes to show, we are messing with a major functional system in the body. And we should tread very very carefully. Scary..