AUTHOR=Nagarkatti Prakash , Nagarkatti Mitzi , Buch Shilpa 

TITLE=Editorial: Substance abuse and the microbiome

JOURNAL=Advances in Drug and Alcohol Research

VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/journals/advances-in-drug-and-alcohol-research/articles/10.3389/adar.2024.12734

DOI=10.3389/adar.2024.12734

ISSN=2674-0001

ABSTRACT=The gastrointestinal (GI) tract harbors a highly complex array of microorganisms that play a critical role in regulating homeostasis in the body. Thus, any perturbations or imbalance, termed dysbiosis, can trigger disease. While the direct effects of abused substances on various organ systems such as the brain, have been well-recognized, whether drug misuse can also lead to dysbiosis, resulting in clinical disorders remains an interesting possibility that is actively researched. This Special Issue was therefore focused on how substance use disorders (SUD) are linked to dysbiosis, and how altered gut microbial composition can influence the functions of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the immune system. It was also the goal of this Special Issue to explore whether the stabilization of gut microbiota could lead to the restoration of clinical disorders that are triggered by drugs of abuse.