A cross comparison between Ayurvedic etiology of Major Depressive Disorder and bidirectional effect of gut dysregulation

Abstract

Ayurveda, an Indian medical science has been practiced for thousands of years. What makes Ayurveda relevant today is its subtle understanding of the environment and its focus on the generation of good health through one's own lifestyle choices. The digestive system has long been an area of critical importance within the Ayurvedic system and is only now being acknowledged by modern science as a key component in the regulation of physical and mental well-being. The gut microbiome and enteric nervous system are two particular areas in which the onset of psychiatric disorders, such as depression, have been associated. There are some striking similarities between this biomedical understanding of the gastrointestinal system and the Ayurvedic perspective of disease development. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is becoming increasingly linked with gut dysregulation in contemporary literature and is a pathology explored within both the Ayurvedic and Western systems of medicine. This literature review seeks to draw parallels between these two areas of study and highlight the importance of the digestive system when diagnosing and treating MDD.