Dynamic changes to the intestinal environment occur throughout recovery from experimental ischemic stroke

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gastroenterology
• Immunology

Background:

• Stroke survivors often face long-term complications impacting quality of life.
• Intestinal dysfunction, including altered microbiota and barrier integrity, is linked to increased brain injury post-stroke.
• The chronic changes in the gut environment following stroke are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if gastrointestinal dysfunction persists into the chronic recovery phase after an experimental stroke.
• To characterize the long-term structural and functional changes in the colon post-stroke.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an experimental model of ischemic stroke in animals.
• Assessed colonic structure, mucus barrier thickness, intestinal transit times, and bacterial community composition.
• Analyzed luminal antibody profiles at chronic time points (3 months post-stroke).

Main Results:

• Experimental stroke induced lasting structural changes in the colon, a thinner mucus barrier, and altered bacterial composition up to 3 months.
• While barrier function and transit times recovered within 2 weeks, structural and microbial alterations persisted.
• Altered luminal antibody profiles were observed in the chronic phase post-stroke.

Conclusions:

• Gastrointestinal dysfunction, characterized by persistent structural and microbial changes, is a significant long-term consequence of experimental stroke.
• These chronic intestinal alterations, alongside modified antibody profiles, suggest the gut is a dynamic target for improving stroke recovery.
• Targeting intestinal dysfunction could offer therapeutic benefits for stroke survivors beyond the acute recovery period.