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The Gut Microbiome in Multiple Sclerosis

  • Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders (P Villoslada, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Opinion statement

The gut microbiome is made up of a wide range of (chiefly) bacterial species that colonize the small and large intestine. The human gut microbiome contains a subset of thousands of bacterial species, with up to 1014 total bacteria. Studies examining this bacterial content have shown wide variations in which species are present between individuals. The gut microbiome has been shown to have profound effects on the development and maintenance of immune system in both animal models and in humans. A growing body of evidence has implicated the human gut microbiome in a range of disorders, including obesity, inflammatory bowel diseases, and cardiovascular disease. Animal studies present compelling evidence that the gut microbiome plays a significant role in the progression of demyelinating disease, and that modulation of the microbiome can lead to either exacerbation or amelioration of symptoms. Differences in diet, vitamin D insufficiency, smoking, and alcohol use have all been implicated as risk factors in MS, and all have the ability to affect the composition of the gut microbiota. Preliminary clinical trials aimed at modulating the gut microbiota in MS patients are underway and may prove to be a promising and lower-risk treatment option in the future.

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Conflict of Interest

Daniel W. Mielcarz declares no conflict of interest.

Lloyd H. Kasper declares the receipt of grants from Symbiotix Biotherapies, NIH, and NMSS, outside the submitted work.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA

    Daniel W. Mielcarz PhD & Lloyd H. Kasper MD

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  1. Daniel W. Mielcarz PhD
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  2. Lloyd H. Kasper MD
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Correspondence to Daniel W. Mielcarz PhD.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders

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Mielcarz, D.W., Kasper, L.H. The Gut Microbiome in Multiple Sclerosis. Curr Treat Options Neurol 17, 18 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11940-015-0344-7

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