Gut Microorganisms Have An Impact On The Development Of The Brain.

Very premature babies are at high risk of brain damage. However, researchers have identified a possible attack point for early treatment of such injury outside the brain: bacteria in the gut from premature babies may play a key role. The research team found that the overgrowth of the gastrointestinal tract with Klebsiella bacteria was associated with an increased presence of specific immune cells and the development of neurological damage in premature infants.

Complex interactions: gut-immune-brain axis

Researchers call it the gut-immune-brain axis. The bacteria in the core work closely with the immune system, which monitors gut microbes and develops appropriate responses to them. In addition, the gut is connected to the brain via the vagus nerve and the immune system. "We examined the role this axis plays in brain development in very premature infants," said the study's lead author, David Seki. 

"The gut microbiome – an important collection of hundreds of different types of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microbes – is well balanced in healthy people. However, changes are likely to occur, especially in premature infants whose immune systems and microbiome are not fully developed. These changes can have negative effects on the brain," explained microbiologists and immunologists.

Models in the microbiome provide evidence of brain damage.

"We were able to identify specific patterns in the microbiome and immune responses that are related to the development and severity of brain damage," added David Berry, microbiologist, also head of the research group at the Center for Microbiology also Environment. 

Systems Science (CMESS) at the University of Vienna and the operational director of the Combined Microbiome Facility of the Medical University from Vienna and the University of Vienna. "Most importantly, such patterns often occur before changes in the brain. Thus, this represents a critical period in which brain damage can be prevented or avoided in very premature infants."

A comprehensive study of the development of very premature babies

Biomarkers that an interdisciplinary team can identify provide a starting point for developing appropriate therapies. "Our data suggest that Klebsiella overgrowth and associated elevated levels of T cells can exacerbate brain damage," explains Lucas Whisgril, a neonatologist in the Department of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care, and Neuropediatrics at the Pediatric Pediatric University of Vienna. 

"We were able to follow this pattern because, for the first time, we examined in detail how the gut microbiome, immune system, and brain development and how they interact with particular groups of newborns," he added. 

The study tracked a total of 60 premature babies born before the 28th week of gestation and weighing less than 1 kilogram over several weeks or even months. Using advanced methods, the team examined the microbiome using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, among others. In addition, the researchers analyzed blood and stool samples, recorded brain waves (eg, aEEG) and MRI images of the baby's brain.