HPHPA enzyme from Clostridia bacteria in the gut linked to anxiety and psychosis symptoms

[Hip]

Article: Anxiety In Your Head Could Come From Your Gut

The enzyme HPHPA from Clostridia species bacteria in the gut can affect brain chemistry, leading the anxiety and psychosis symptoms.

HPHPA — full name 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid — can cause an excess production of dopamine and reduced levels of norepinephrine, leading to mental symptoms.

HPHPA causes deactivation of an enzyme so that dopamine cannot be converted to the neurotransmitter neuroepinephrine, and that causes a build-up of dopamine.

HPHPA has been found in higher concentrations in urine samples of children with autism.ᐞ

This article says that treatment with metronidazole, vancomycin, or high doses of probiotics of individuals with high urinary values of HPHPA has led to significant clinical improvements or remissions of psychosis.

HPHPA is produced by the Clostridia species:
Clostridium sporogenes
Clostridium botulinum
Clostridium caloritolerans
Clostridium mangenoti
Clostridium ghoni
Clostridium bifermentans
Clostridium difficile
Clostridium sordelli


Also of interest:
Inhibition of dopamine conversion to norepinephrine by Clostridia metabolites appears to be a (the) major cause of autism, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric disorders. All these factors can now be monitored in The Great Plains Laboratory Organic Acids Test.
William Shaw, Ph.D., The Great Plains Laboratory.

 

[AbbyDear]

Interesting. I wonder if there might be similar issues with other bacteria as well.

 

[Hip]

Interesting. I wonder if there might be similar issues with other bacteria as well.

Yes I wonder that too.

I while ago I was looking at bacterial toxins and virulence factors as a possible source of problems in ME/CFS. But bacteria do more than just make toxins and virulence factors; their enzymes and various metabolic processes may also interfere with normal physiology, leading to physical or mental symptoms.

I guess the hard thing is identifying the pathways by which bacteria can alter human physiology.

 

[Beyond]

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1757-4749-1-6

 

[acer2000]

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1757-4749-1-6

Yeah L Casei Shirota is available in the drink "Yakult". Its sold in most Japanese grocery stores. I can testify that it does reduce anxiety, at least temporarily.

 

[alex3619]

I think there is an older thread on HPHPA. I wonder if Lipkin will see a problem here when he does a gut biome study in ME and CFS?