Research demonstrates that gut microbes change after spinal cord injury

Researchers from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus, OH, USA) have demonstrated that spinal cord injury (SCI) results in alterations to the gut microbiota, a process known as dysbiosis, which increases intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation from the gut. The study, recently published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, demonstrated that administering commercial probiotics to mice models of SCI triggers a protective immune response in gut-associated lymphoid tissues,confers neuroprotection and improves functional recovery. “The trillions of microbes that exist in the gastrointestinal tract have emerged as pivotal regulators of human development and physiology. SCIs cause dramatic shifts in...