New research highlights the gut microbiome’s crucial role in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), revealing significant microbial imbalances in affected individuals.
The gut microbiome, a diverse community of microorganisms residing in the digestive tract, plays a key role in immune system regulation. Scientists at Yale University (USA) identified notable differences in gut bacteria composition between MS patients and healthy individuals. Patients with MS exhibited lower levels of bacteria coated with immunoglobulin A (IgA), indicating a disrupted immune-microbiome interaction.
Researcher Erin Longbrake stated: “The fact that fewer bacteria were coated with IgA in patients with multiple sclerosis suggests a possible fundamental breakdown in the interaction between the body and microbes.” She also noted that “environmental factors may predispose to MS by altering the composition of the gut microbiota.” This suggests that microbial imbalance might contribute to MS onset and progression.
The study, published in Neurology Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation, analyzed stool samples from 43 newly diagnosed MS patients and 42 healthy controls. Findings revealed a decrease in Faecalibacterium and an increase in Monoglobus in untreated MS patients. Notably, after six months of B-cell-depleting therapy, patients’ gut microbiota more closely resembled that of healthy individuals.
These findings suggest that gut microbiome modulation could play a role in MS treatment. Understanding the microbiome’s influence on immune function may help uncover why some individuals develop MS while others do not.
