Gut microbiome and neurocritically ill patients

Since the times of Rokitansky and Cushing, we have been fascinated by connections between gut brain. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing techniques shown that this relationship is even more complex integral to our sense self than previously imagined. As these refine understanding abundance diversity bacterial microbiome, brain has redefined. Now, understood as a symbiotic network with bidirectional communication, gut-brain axis. The implication communication involves an intense focus research on variety chronic psychiatric, neurological, neurodegenerative, neuro-oncological diseases. Recently, axis studied neurologically ill patients requiring intensive care. Preliminary studies acute injury changes phenotype from one host human pathologic, termed “pathobiome.” This can contribute nosocomial pneumonia sepsis. first neurointensive care unit (NeuroICU) demonstrated microbiome neuroICU healthy matched subjects. Specifically, decrease short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria increase harmful microbes associated mortality decreased function at discharge. Although preliminary findings are exciting opened new field NeuroICU population, there several limitations challenges. Further investigation needed confirm correlations understand their implications environment.