Probiotics and antimicrobial proteinsMar 12, 2026

Improving the Gut-Brain Connection with Modified Kodo Millet Bran and GABA-Producing Bacteria in a Seizure Model

Gut-Brain Axis Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jun 27, 2026

Abstract

Essence

Modified kodo millet bran plus a GABA-producing Levilactobacillus brevis strain reduced seizure and inflammatory signals in a rat epilepsy model.

Evidence

This preclinical PTZ-kindled SD rat study found lower seizure severity, preserved neuronal spines, restored hippocampal GABAergic function, about 1.77-fold lower overall cytokines, higher gut GABA/SCFAs, and shifted microbiota with more Turicibacter and Lactobacillus.

Caveat

The findings come from an induced rat model with microbiome associations, so they do not establish clinical benefit for people with epilepsy.

Simplified

Beneficial modulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) using dietary fibres and psychobiotics has emerged as a novel strategy for the management of various neurological conditions including epilepsy. Herein, we investigated the effects of supplementation of modified kodo millet bran (mKMB) along with GABA-producing Levilactobacillus brevis LAB6 MTCC 25662 in mitigating epileptic seizures, neuroinflammation and colonic aberrations in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced epilepsy in SD rats. Chronic PTZ kindling induced gut-brain dysregulation, whereas supplementation with mKMB and LAB6 reduced seizure severity, preserved neuronal spines, and restored hippocampal GABAergic function. It also effectively attenuated neuro- and systemic inflammation (~ 1.77-fold overall cytokine reduction), associated with enhanced FFAR2/3 expression and increased gut GABA and SCFAs. Microbiome analysis showed that supplementation mitigated kindling-induced dysbiosis by reducing Aerococcus, Clostridium, Enterococcus and enriching beneficial microbes; notably, Turicibacter abundance increased to 21.39% in Syn + PTZ compared to 13.6% in PTZ (log₂FC = + 0.65, p = 0.056) and 17.21% in mKMB + PTZ (log₂FC = + 0.56, p = 0.032), alongside an increase in Lactobacillus, particularly Levilactobacillus brevis. These findings highlight the protective potential of dietary fibres and rationale psychobiotics supplementation in modulating MGBA and developing an effective management strategy for epilepsy.