Stroke remains as one of the leading causes of mortality. This is the reason why scientists continue researching methods to prevent and predict this disease.

In 2016, scientists from Weill Cornell Medicine conducted a study on mice. Two weeks after being injected with a combination of amoxicillin antibiotics and clavulanic acid, an ischemic stroke was induced. Mice injected with antibiotics showed a 60% less stroke intensity compared to the control group. This showed there was a connection between antibiotics, intestinal bacteria, and stroke. Intestinal bacteria instructed the immune cells to protect the brain in full capacity. This finding opened the opportunity that changing the intestinal microbiota could be implemented as stroke prevention.

Another study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania showed that intestinal bacteria, particularly gram-negative ones, affected blood vessels in the brain, causing malformation that could lead to stroke or an epileptic episode.

This research investigated the formation mechanism of CCM (Cerebral Cavernous Malformation) in genetically modified mice. They found that there was a connection between intestinal bacteria and CCM formation. CCM is a collection of small blood vessels that are prone to leakage and can cause stroke or seizure. CCM is affected by gram-negative bacteria, which produces LPS (lipopolysaccharide), a strong activator of innate immune system. The study proved that mice injected with LPS showed a high level of CCM. In contrary, when TLR4, receptor of LPS, was genetically removed from the mice, CCM was no longer formed.

These breakthroughs give us hope that in the future, there will be methods to prevent stroke. Having said that, it would require years of further studies until the methods can be deemed safe for humans. For now, stick to a healthier lifestyle and diet.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Google Search Image

Source(s):

• Tang, A. T., Choi, J. P., Kotzin, J. J., et al (2017). Endothelial TLR4 and the microbiome drive cerebral cavernous malformations. Nature 545(7645) : 305.
• Benakis, C., Brea, D., Caballero, S., et al (2016). Commensal microbiota affects ischemic stroke outcome by regulating intestinal γδ T cells. Nature Medicine 22(5):516-523.