CURE FOR EPILEPSY
Also many other neurological and immunological diseases…
Research into the gut microbiome of individuals with epilepsy has identified specific bacterial strains that are present at abnormal levels compared to healthy controls. Here are the findings from various studies:
Abnormally High Bacterial Strains in People with Epilepsy
Firmicutes: A higher Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio has been observed in individuals with epilepsy.
Prevotella: Some studies have reported increased levels of Prevotella in people with epilepsy.
Clostridium spp.: Certain Clostridium species, including those related to Clostridium bolteae and Clostridium perfringens, have been found in higher concentrations.
Lachnospiraceae: Elevated levels of certain Lachnospiraceae family members have been associated with epilepsy.
Abnormally Low Bacterial Strains in People with Epilepsy
Bacteroides: Decreased levels of Bacteroides, which are crucial for breaking down complex molecules and maintaining gut health, have been noted.
Bifidobacterium: Lower counts of Bifidobacterium, important for gut health and immune modulation, are frequently reported.
Akkermansia muciniphila: Reduced levels of Akkermansia muciniphila, which plays a key role in maintaining the mucosal barrier and anti-inflammatory processes.
Faecalibacterium prausnitzii: This beneficial bacterium, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, is often found in lower abundance in individuals with epilepsy.
Parabacteroides: Reduced levels of Parabacteroides have also been identified in some studies.
Supporting Studies
Study by Peng et al. (2018): This study found that children with epilepsy had a significantly higher Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio and increased levels of Clostridium, while beneficial bacteria such as Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium were significantly decreased .
Study by Lindefeldt et al. (2019): This research reported increased Prevotella and decreased levels of Bifidobacterium in individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy .
Study by Xie et al. (2021): This study noted a higher abundance of Lachnospiraceae and lower levels of Akkermansia muciniphila and Parabacteroides in patients with epilepsy compared to healthy controls .
These findings highlight specific bacterial imbalances in the gut microbiome of people with epilepsy, suggesting potential targets for therapeutic interventions such as probiotics or fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) to restore a healthier microbial balance and possibly reduce seizure activity.
Sources:
Peng, A., Qiu, X., Lai, W., Li, W., Zhang, L., Zhu, X., … & Li, C. (2018). Altered composition of the gut microbiome in children with refractory epilepsy. Epilepsy Research, 145, 67-72.
Lindefeldt, M., Eng, A., Darban, H., Bjerkner, A., Zetterström, C., Allander, T., … & Dahl, N. (2019). The ketogenic diet influences taxonomic and functional composition of the gut microbiota in children with severe epilepsy. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, 5, 5.
Xie, G., Zhou, Q., Qiu, C.-Z., Dai, R., Xie, L., Wang, H., … & Li, X.-B. (2021). Fecal microbiota transplantation therapy for refractory epilepsy in China: A case series. Frontiers in Neurology, 12, 644593.