A chronotype is generally defined as the variability of the phase angle of entrainment, while the latter reflects the relationship between the timing of a certain rhythm (e.g., the sleep–wake cycle) and the timing of an external temporal cue. Individuals can be placed on a spectrum from “morning types” (M types) to “evening types” (E types). E-chronotype has been proposed as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychiatric conditions, and it has been associated with psychopathological dimensions. Eveningness seems to be correlated with both suicidal ideation (SI) and suicidal behavior (SB) through several possible mediating factors. Immunological alterations have also been linked to later chronotypes and SI/SB. This narrative review aims to summarize the evidence supporting the possible association between chronotypes and suicide and the eventual mediating role of neuroinflammation and several psychopathological dimensions. A search of the literature (2003–2023) was conducted using various databases: PUBMED, EMBASE, Scopus, UpToDate, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library. English-language articles were collected and screened for eligibility. Despite the apparent absence of a direct correlation between E-chronotype and suicidality, E-chronotype promotes a chain of effects that could be involved in an increased risk of SB, in which with neuroinflammation possibly plays an intriguing role and some psychopathological dimensions may stand out.
The bilateral interaction between the brain and the gut has recently been on the spectrum of researchers’ interests, including complex neural, endocrinological, and immunological signaling pathways. The first case reports and clinical studies have already reported that delivering microbes through fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) may alleviate symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Therefore, modifying the gut microbiota through FMT holds promise as a potential treatment for psychiatric diseases. This scoping review assessed studies from PubMed related to FMT in autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The evaluation included nine clinical studies and case reports. The beneficial and persistent effect on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms has been reported. Also, an increased microflora diversity and altered levels of neurometabolites in serum were identified, albeit with a tendency to return to baseline over time. The microbiome–gut–brain axis could provide new targets for preventing and treating psychiatric disorders. However, a recent large randomized clinical trial has shed light on the previously collected data and suggested a possible contribution of the placebo effect. This highlights the necessity of large randomized double-blind studies to reliably assess the effect of FMT in ASD.
Background: chronotype is generally defined as the variability of the phase angle of en-trainment, while the latter reflects the relationship between the timing of a certain rhythm (e.g., sleep-wake cycle) and the timing of an external temporal cue. Individuals can be placed on a spectrum from "morning types" (M types), to "evening types" (E types). E-chronotype has been proposed as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychiatric conditions and associated with psycho-pathological dimensions. Eveningness seems correlated with both suicidal ideation (SI) and suicidal behavioral (SB), through several possible mediating factors. Immunological alterations also have been linked to later chronotypes and SI/SB. Objective: This narrative review aims to summarize the evidence supporting the possible association between chronotypes and suicide, with the eventual mediating role of neuroinflammation and several psychopathological dimensions. Material and methods: A search of literature (2003-2023) was conducted, using various databases: PUBMED, EMBASE, Scopus, UpToDate, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library. English-language articles were col-lected and screened for eligibility. Results: Despite the apparent absence of a direct correlation between E-chronotype and suicidality, E-chronotype promotes a chain of effects that could be in-volved in an increased risk of SB, in which with neuroinflammation possibly play an intriguing role and some psychopathological dimensions may stand out.