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Social anxiety may reside partially in the gut
Gut microbiome may be behind social anxiety
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By Peter Clark (Senior Editor, Autism Info Center) Monday 29th December 2025 |
New research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders has identified a potential biological link between the gut microbiome and social anxiety disorder (SAD).
By transplanting gut bacteria from adolescents with SAD into newborn rats, scientists observed the development of anxiety-like behaviours and significant metabolic changes in the medial prefrontal cortex, a brain region vital for social processing.
For people with autism, these findings are particularly relevant as social anxiety is a frequent co-occurrence that can significantly impact quality of life.
While the study notes that microbial shifts in SAD are subtler than those typically seen in autism, the research highlights how the gut-brain axis may influence social avoidance and deficits in social novelty.
Understanding this "biological footprint" may lead to breakthroughs in managing the intense social fears often experienced by neurodivergent people.
Rather than focusing on the core characteristics of autism, future interventions might target the gut-brain pathway to lessen the impact of social anxiety.
This could provide a safer, non-pharmacological avenue to support people in navigating social environments with greater ease.
Source: PsyPost (USA)
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