Is It True That Depression Can Be Transmitted Through A Kiss?

Illustration of kissing (Freepic)

JAKARTA - So far, kissing is known as a form of affection that strengthens the relationship. But who would have thought, this romantic activity can also be a path of transmission of mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Those are surprising findings from a new study conducted in Iran.

So far, we have known that kissing and close physical contact can transmit infections such as flu, mononucleosis, and herpes. Reporting from the New York Post page, the latest research published in the journal Exploratory Research and Hypothesis in Medicine states that depression and anxiety can also be transmitted through the exchange of bacteria in the mouth when kissing.

When a person experiences depression or anxiety, his body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. This increase in cortisol can disrupt the balance of microbiota (bacterial) in the mouth.

When a couple kiss, they can exchange bacteria. In fact, a previous study found one kiss for 10 seconds can transfer up to 80 million bacteria.

In this latest study, the researchers participated in 268 newlyweds in Iran. At the beginning of the study, one of the couples had mental disorders and difficulty sleeping, while the partner was in good health.

From this study, participants were asked to fill out a survey related to their mental health condition, as well as provide saliva samples to measure cortisol and mouth swab levels for bacterial DNA analysis.

The result, after six months, couples who were initially healthy, especially women, began to show symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Although the symptoms they experienced were not as severe as their partner who was first affected, these changes were considered significant.

The researchers found a healthy partner's mouth microbiota starting to resemble a couple with mental disorders. Four types of bacteria detected in large quantities areClostridia,Veillonella,Bacillus,andLachnospiraceae, some of which are known to have a negative impact on health.

This study strengthens the theory that a person's mental health problems can have a major impact on his partner. The therapist has long recognized the effects of emotional waves in relationships, where one person's stress and mental problems can affect those closest to him. Now, researchers propose bacteria in the mouth may play a role in this process.

Although the results are interesting, the researchers also acknowledge the limitations in this study, such as not considering pre-existing health conditions or eating patterns that can affect the microbiota of the mouth.

They suggested that further research be carried out to explore whether bacteria could also affect other mental and neurological conditions.

Previous studies also showed couples who lived together for a long time could experience synchronization in terms of heart rate, sleep patterns, to stress and reproductive hormones.