Longitudinal Effects of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury on the Gut Microbiome and Acoustic Startle Response in Male and Female Rats.

ABSTRACT: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) frequently occur and can lead to lasting negative cognitive, physical, and mental health outcomes. The biological response to even mild TBIs (mTBI) includes well-characterized inflammatory sequelae that start immediately post-injury, remain for weeks, and can develop into long-term systemic inflammation. Studies have shown that TBI influences multiple physiological systems, including the gastrointestinal tract, through bidirectional communication modulated, in part, by the gut microbiome. Brainstem functioning post-TBI, as measured by acoustic startle sensorimotor processing, might play a role in this feedback loop. The current study investigated pre- to post-TBI (lateral fluid percussion injury model) changes in microbial communities and acoustic startle res

SUBMITTER: Stamper CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12504221 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature