Role of the Gut Microbiota in Ischemic Stroke

Recent studies have provided evidence for the role of the gut microbiota in homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS) and pathophysiology of its disorders, e.g. by regulation of the peripheral immune response. In this manuscript, we discuss the importance of the gut microbiota in stroke, by providing a summary of available clinical and experimental data suggesting that 1) stroke changes the gut microbiome, 2) microbiota modulate stroke outcome and 3) microbiota play an important role in the pathogenesis of stroke (risk factors). Currently available clinical and experimental evidence suggests an important role of gut microbiota in stroke and promises clinically relevant discoveries within the next years.