Microbiota-gut-brain axis in cerebral palsy: from mechanisms to interventions

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Microbiology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of childhood motor disability, stemming from early brain injury.
• Children with CP often experience diverse comorbidities (GI, sleep, seizures) that impact recovery and care.
• The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) offers a framework to understand these multisystem issues in CP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current evidence on the MGBA in children with CP.
• To outline potential mechanistic pathways linking gut dysbiosis to CP manifestations.
• To evaluate therapeutic strategies and propose future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on CP and the MGBA.
• Analysis of proposed mechanisms involving microbial, immune, and metabolic interactions.
• Evaluation of current and potential interventions targeting the MGBA.

Main Results:

• Children with CP may have altered gut microbiota (reduced diversity, SCFA producers; increased opportunists).
• Dysbiosis may contribute to CP symptoms via gut barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and altered signaling pathways.
• Interventions like nutritional support and probiotics show promise for GI symptoms but require more research on neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The MGBA is a plausible link between gut dysbiosis and CP comorbidities.
• Mechanisms are hypothesized, and causal links in CP require further investigation.
• Future trials should focus on biomarkers and stratified interventions for long-term outcomes.