Exploring the bidirectional skin-brain axis: Mental health, dermatology-related quality of life, and the role of probiotics

Mental health is an essential component of overall health and well-being and is recognized as a basic and fundamental human right. It is a dynamic and continuous process, ranging from an ideal state of quality of life to debilitating conditions of psychological distress. Notably, The skin–brain axis plays a key role in connecting dermatological health, mental health, and the gut microbiota.

In a new study published in the Journal of Dermatologic Science and Cosmetic Technology, a team of researchers from Brazil investigated associations between mental health (anxiety, depression, stress), dermatology-related quality of life (DLQI), and probiotic intake in 305 Brazilian adults.

The team found that women had significantly higher scores for anxiety, depression, and stress compared to men. “Nearly half of participants reported dermatological disorders, and over half were at risk for at least one mental health condition,”shares corresponding author Débora Fernandes Pinheiro. “Strong positive correlations were found among anxiety, depression, and stress, while DLQI showed weak but significant correlations with these outcomes.”

Meanwhile, probiotic intake was not found to be significantly associated with mental health measures, possibly due to low habitual consumption. Multiple linear regression identified stress and depression as independent predictors of anxiety, explaining 66% of its variance.

“Our findings highlight the bidirectional nature of the skin–brain axis and the disproportionate psychological and dermatological burden on women,” says Pinheiro.  “While probiotics hold theoretical promise, current evidence from this population does not support direct associations. Further longitudinal studies incorporating culturally relevant dietary patterns are needed to clarify these complex interactions.”

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Contact the author:

Débora Fernandes Pinheiro

Departamento de Nutrição, Universidade Alto Vale do Rio do Peixe (UNIARP), CEP, Caçador, Santa Catarina 89500-199, Brazil

Corresponding author.

debora.fernandes@uniarp.edu.br

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