Microbial metabolites: Bridging the gut-brain divide in ischemic stroke

Apr 3, 2026Microbiological research

Microbial byproducts linking the gut and brain in stroke

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Abstract

The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (MGBA) is linked to the onset and progression of stroke.

Stroke is associated with complex interactions between gut microbes and the central nervous system.
Gut microbiome modulation may influence neuroinflammatory responses after a stroke.
Microbes can convert dietary and host materials into metabolites that affect both local and systemic functions.
Certain microbial metabolites may act as signaling molecules, influencing neurovascular responses.
This review discusses the potential of gut-derived metabolites as therapeutic targets in ischemic stroke.

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The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (MGBA) has recently crystallized into a focal frontier spanning neuroscience and microbiology, illuminating the intricate reciprocity between intestinal microbes and the central nervous system. Stroke, a devastating and life-threatening cerebrovascular disorder, is now recognized to have its onset, progression, and long-term outcome intimately entwined with MGBA dynamics. Accumulating empirical literature substantiates the existence of intimate bidirectional gut-brain signaling circuits, wherein the gut microbiome functions as a central modulator. This microbial consortium not only orchestrates neuroinflammatory cascades following cerebral insult, but also bio-transforms dietary and host-derived substrates into multifunctional metabolites that exert both local and systemic bioactivity. Emerging evidence suggests that individual microbial metabolites and their secondary derivatives may serve as candidate signaling intermediaries, mediating the transduction of microbial cues into neurovascular responses. Accordingly, the present review provides a forward synthesis of how the MGBA intersects with ischemic stroke pathobiology, focusing on elucidating the therapeutic potential and strategies of gut microbial metabolites in ischemic stroke. It provides theoretical insights and translational prospects for gut-derived metabolites as therapeutic targets.

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Microbial metabolites: Bridging the gut-brain divide in ischemic stroke

Abstract

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