Predispose, precipitate, perpetuate, and protect: how diet and the gut influence mental health in emerging adulthood

Michael Warren; Colleen O'Connor; Ju Eun Lee; Jeremy Burton; David Walton; Justine Keathley; Michael Wammes; Elizabeth Osuch

doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1339269

Predispose, precipitate, perpetuate, and protect: how diet and the gut influence mental health in emerging adulthood

Front Nutr. 2024 Mar 5:11:1339269. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1339269. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Michael Warren¹, Colleen O'Connor², Ju Eun Lee³, Jeremy Burton⁴, David Walton⁵, Justine Keathley⁶, Michael Wammes¹, Elizabeth Osuch^{1

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Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
² School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College, London, ON, Canada.
³ Geriatrics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Department of Surgery, Microbiology and Immunology, Lawson Health Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
⁵ School of Physical Therapy, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
⁶ Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
⁷ London Health Sciences Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
⁸ First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada.

Abstract

Medicine often employs the 4Ps of predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and protective factors to identify salient influences on illness states, and to help guide patient care. Mental illness is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Mental health is a complex combination of biological, psychological, environmental, and social factors. There is growing interest in the gut-brain-microbiome (GBM) axis and its impact on mental health. We use the medical model of the 4Ps to explore factors involving the connection between nutrition and the GBM axis and their associated risks with mental health problems in emerging adults (EAs), a life stage when mental illness onset is the most common. We review the impact of current dietary trends on the GBM and on mental health, and the role that gut microbiome-based interventions can have in modulating the GBM axis of EAs. We discuss the implications of gut health on the GBM and areas for clinical intervention.

Keywords: clinical formulation; emerging adult; gut-brain microbiome axis; nutrition; preventive psychiatry; psychiatry.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.