The brain-gut axis: How the gut microbiome influences epilepsy
Recent studies of the gut microbiome have revealed a bidirectional connection between the brain and gut, appropriately named the brain-gut axis. We are interested in studying the brain-gut axis by examining the microbiome of patients with rare genetic epilepsy. We are specifically interested in exploring the difference between individuals with and without refractory epilepsy. This project was a collaboration with the C4RCD and TGen’s Microbiome Division. This study included consenting individuals, shipment of stool collection kits, and microbiome sequencing data analysis. Twenty families were consented into the study and sent a kit for stool sample collection. The first batch of samples included 12 individuals with epilepsy and 12 family members.16s rRNA amplicon sequencing was performed on the 24 stools samples. The challenges of the study included working directly with patients and learning how to adapt the information based on the individual’s age. Results from this study may lead to the development of new treatments for epilepsy patients, help predict an individual’s drug response, and additional research into the gut-brain axis.
