Bidirectional Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis after Stroke and Its Implications for Treating Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

The surfaces of the human body, including those of internal organs, are colonized by diverse commensal microbes. As we expand our understanding of these microbes, these micro-organisms increasingly seem to play important roles human disease development. The most abundant and functional among these communities is the gut microbes. They not only influence food digestion in native intestinal habitats but also play an essential role in the neurological system. The communication between the gut microbiota and the brain has been partially revealed by new discoveries in the past few years, which has strengthened our knowledge of how the gut microbiota modulates neurological diseases such as ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke is characterized by poor outcomes, including high disability and fatality rates. Recent investigations among clinical trials and animal experiments have provided some intriguing hints regarding the role of gut microbiota in ischemic stroke outcomes, and a few experimental therapeutic approaches based on gut microbiota have shown promising results. In this review, we discuss the current findings and theories regarding the interaction between gut microbiota and ischemic stroke, and highlight the potential role of gut microbiota in treating ischemic stroke.