Gut Flora Differs in Patients With Epilepsy and Cognitive Dysfunction
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 16, 2024 -- There is an imbalance in the gut flora of patients with epilepsy compared with healthy controls, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition.
BingCong Hong, from the Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University in China, analyzed differences in gut flora between patients with epilepsy with and without cognitive impairment (62 and 38 patients, respectively) and normal controls (100 controls).
The researcher found more significant differences in the structure and composition of the gut flora between patients in the epilepsy group and the control group but no significant differences in a diversity analysis (P > 0.05). Actinobacteriota, Faecalibacterium, and Collinsella were significantly lower in the group with cognitive impairment than the group without (P < 0.05), while the Alpha diversity index was numerically slightly smaller than that seen in the no cognitive impairment group. Both epilepsy groups had a more dispersed situation. Glycolysis and heterolactic fermentation were upregulated in the group with cognitive impairment. Collinsella, Oscillospirales, and Ruminococcaceae, markers for the presence or absence of comorbid cognitive impairment, had a greater impact on epilepsy combined with cognitive impairment.
“Gut flora could be an important factor in the evaluation of cognitive impairment in combination with epilepsy,” Hong writes.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2024
Read this next
Late-Life Mood Disorders May Indicate Predisposition to Dementia
MONDAY, June 30, 2025 -- Alzheimer disease (AD) and diverse non-AD tau pathologies may contribute to late-life mood disorders (LLMDs), according to a study published online June 9...
Triglyceride-Glucose Index May Predict Faster Cognitive Decline in Early Phases of Alzheimer Disease
MONDAY, June 30, 2025 -- For patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) associated with Alzheimer disease (AD), those in the highest tertile of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG)...
Brain Age Gap May Mediate Influence of Cognitive Impairment Risk Factors
TUESDAY, June 24, 2025 -- The brain age gap (BAG) plays a role in mediating the influence of cognitive impairment risk factors on cognitive function, especially among individuals...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.