Healing the Gut Improves Stroke Recovery, Study Suggests

A new study provides compelling evidence that healing the gut is essential for improving long-term cognitive outcomes after a stroke, offering a potential paradigm shift in post-stroke care.

The research was published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity and led by Farida Sohrabji, PhD, Head of Neuroscience at Texas A&M College of Medicine. The findings highlight the intricate link between the brain and gut.

“What we’ve found is that minutes after a stroke occurs, normal gut anatomy is completely disrupted,” said Dr. Sohrabji. She explained the cells critical for maintaining the gut’s protective barrier begin to break down, allowing harmful bacteria to leak into the body. This leakage not only exacerbates inflammation but can also impair brain function, potentially leading to long-term cognitive issues.

“If you just repair the brain, you will see short-term effects but not long-term improvement because the gut is still leaky,” she added.

The study explored the application of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1) directly to the gut. Researchers found that IGF-1 effectively repaired damaged gut structures, reducing inflammation and improving cognitive outcomes.

“This tells us that if you don’t repair the gut, you won’t see improvement in long-term function,” said Dr. Sohrabji.

The team is also investigating stem cell transplants to further accelerate gut repair. The concept, spearheaded by associate research scientist Kathiresh Kumar Mani, PhD, involves transplanting stem cells from healthy donors to repair the damaged gut lining.

“We were fairly sure that (the stem cells) would repair the gut,” Dr. Sohrabji explained. “What was not known, and what was a very pleasant surprise to us, was that in that process, it also improved stroke outcomes.”

According to the study, stroke is a leading cause of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and its long-term effects significantly impact both patients and caregivers. This research opens the door to treatments that could mitigate these challenges by addressing both immediate and long-term consequences of stroke through gut health.

For integrative practitioners, these findings underscore the importance of a holistic approach to stroke recovery—one that considers the gut as an essential player in the healing process.