According to researchers at Texas A&M University, healing the gut could significantly enhance long-term recovery for individuals who have experienced a stroke.
In a recent study published this fall by scientists in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at the Texas A&M College of Medicine, the transformative potential of this innovative treatment approach has been emphasized. This method capitalizes on the connection between the brain and the digestive system to help alleviate cognitive decline and other enduring consequences of a stroke or traumatic brain injury.
The research team found that while a specific medication effectively protected the brain immediately following a stroke, it did not alleviate long-term cognitive issues when administered solely to the brain. When this same medication was directed toward the gut, the reduction in cognitive impairments was significant.
“Simply addressing the brain alone is not sufficient. As a neuroscientist, that revelation surprised me,” remarked Dr. Farida Sohrabji, Regents Professor and Department Head. “This indicates that without repairing the gut, we can’t expect improvement in long-term functioning.”
The findings, appearing in the November issue of Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, build upon earlier research led by Sohrabji, with contributions from graduate student Yumna El-Hakim and research scientist Dr. Kathiresh Kumar Mani. They examined the interaction between the brain and gut during and after a stroke. Through understanding this interplay, the team aims to create therapeutic strategies to prevent cognitive decline in stroke survivors and lower the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Their research is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health and additional support from the WoodNext Foundation.
“Stroke is among the primary contributors to dementia and AD,” Sohrabji explained. “In addition to the immediate consequences of a stroke, there are also lingering effects that can drastically alter the quality of life for both patients and their caregivers, highlighting the need for strategies to enhance long-term outcomes.”
What Occurs in the Gut After a Stroke?
Sohrabji noted that stroke patients exhibit a swift onset of various symptoms. “People may suddenly be unable to lift their arms, experience facial drooping on one side, or have slurred speech. These symptoms appear very quickly,” she stated.
However, the damage incurred by crucial intestinal structures, as the brain signals the gut about the disturbance, is less visible. “We’ve discovered that within minutes of a stroke, the gut’s normal structure is severely compromised,” Sohrabji clarified.
Particularly, the cells that maintain the gut’s barrier begin to deteriorate, permitting digestive bacteria to escape and harm other bodily systems. Under certain circumstances, these bacteria might even reach the brain, disrupting its function. Even without direct bacterial invasion, the brain’s performance can be affected due to the immune system recognizing the bacterial presence and triggering an inflammatory response. This increased inflammation can worsen the effects of a stroke, leading to further brain damage and escalating long-term cognitive troubles.
“Repairing only the brain may yield immediate results, but it won’t lead to sustained improvement if the gut remains leaky,” Sohrabji remarked. “The ongoing inflammation continues to affect brain function negatively over time.”
Heal The Gut, Save The Brain
According to a study from 2024, a gut-directed treatment using Insulin-like Growth Factor or IGF-1 notably diminished post-stroke inflammation and cognitive decline. Sohrabji and her team observed that this treatment repaired the damaged structures in the gut, emphasizing the importance of gut health for stroke recovery.
Beyond their research involving IGF-1, the group is also investigating stem cell transplants for quick gut repair after a stroke—a method proposed by Mani that has shown effectiveness in previous studies.
Normally, the gut produces a continuous supply of stem cells for self-repair, as noted by Sohrabji. Existing findings indicate that these cells can be successfully transplanted from a healthy donor to a patient with gut damage to expedite their healing.
“We were fairly confident stem cells could aid in gut repair. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that this process also enhanced recovery outcomes following a stroke,” Sohrabji explained. “This treatment reduced the amount of dead brain tissue resulting from a stroke and helped preserve cognitive function.”
The team is dedicated to advancing their research in this domain, aiming to formulate a stem cell-based treatment that could be administered to stroke patients to mitigate the long-term risk of dementia and other adverse effects.
