Gut microbiome remodeling by antibiotics reduces neuroinflammation in traumatic brain injury.

ABSTRACT: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces both neuroinflammation and gut microbiome dysbiosis, yet the influence of antibiotics (ABX) on TBI-related neuropathology remains unclear. We administered a broad-spectrum oral ABX regimen to deplete the gut microbiome in single and repeated TBI mouse models. In male mice, ABX treatment significantly reduced neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration post-TBI, with no effects observed in uninjured controls. ABX also altered microbiome composition and decreased serum and fecal short-chain fatty acid levels, while intestinal damage and dysbiosis were further exacerbated by TBI severity. Notably, germ-free male mice exhibited heightened neuroinflammation and larger lesion volumes following TBI, underscoring the microbiome's essential role in recovery. Metagen

SUBMITTER: Flinn H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12458575 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature