Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis Biomarkers Associated with Brain Health in those with History of Traumatic Brain Injury: A US-VMP Study

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are highly prevalent among United States Veterans, particularly those with a history of deployments. mTBIs can cause inflammation, a necessary component of healing. Persistent inflammation; however, may disrupt overall health and alter the gut microbiome, the diverse community of microorganisms in the digestive tract. The bidirectional relationship between the brain and gut, known as the gut-brain axis, has garnered increasing attention due to its role in neuroinflammation and recovery. The complex relationship between the gut-brain axis, multiple biological mechanisms, and health outcomes encourages the use of broad health measures to fully capture the role of the gut microbiome in mTBI. The goal of this study was to assess The LIfestyle for BRAin (LIBRA) scores, a measure of brain health, and their relationship with gut microbiome diversity, taxonomic abundance, and metabolic pathways.