Depletion of Cultivatable Gut Microbiota by Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic Pretreatment Worsens Outcome After Murine Stroke

Abstract

Conventional microbiota ensures intestinal protection in the mouse model of experimental stroke and prevents development of acute and severe colitis in microbiota-depleted mice not given antibiotic protection after cerebral ischemia. Our experiments raise the clinically important question as to whether microbial colonization or specific microbiota are crucial for stroke outcome.