Correlation study between gut microbiota and intestinal permeability in cerebral small vessel disease.

Patients with CSVD-CI had higher incidence of hypertension, higher homocysteine levels, higher white matter hyperintensity scores, and worse cognitive function compared to healthy controls.

• Study enrolled 21 patients with CSVD-CI and 20 healthy controls
• CSVD-CI patients had higher incidence of hypertension than controls
• CSVD-CI patients had higher homocysteine levels than controls
• CSVD-CI patients had higher scores for white matter hyperintensities
• CSVD-CI patients demonstrated worse performance on cognitive function assessments

Urinary mannitol recovery rate was higher in CSVD-CI patients and correlated with lower cognitive function scores.

• Intestinal permeability was assessed using the urine lactulose/mannitol ratio method
• CSVD-CI patients showed a higher urinary mannitol recovery rate compared to healthy controls
• The higher mannitol recovery rate was correlated with lower scores on cognitive function assessment
• Mannitol recovery reflects small intestinal absorptive capacity and permeability changes

Gut microbiota alterations in CSVD-CI patients included a reduction in Prevotella-9 and increases in Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria.

• 16S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze gut microbiota composition
• Prevotella-9 was reduced in CSVD-CI patients compared to healthy controls
• Proteobacteria were increased in CSVD-CI patients
• Fusobacteria were increased in CSVD-CI patients
• These changes represent dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in CSVD-CI

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from CSVD-CI patients increased intestinal permeability in recipient C57 mice but did not alter their cognitive function.

• Feces from CSVD-CI patients or healthy controls were gavaged into C57 mice
• Gut barrier function, behavior, and metabolites were assessed in recipient mice
• FMT from CSVD-CI patients increased intestinal permeability in mice
• Cognitive function of recipient mice was not changed following FMT from CSVD-CI patients

Fecal metabolomics analysis identified alterations in bile acids and vitamins in CSVD-CI patients that were associated with shifts in gut microbiota.

• Fecal metabolomics analysis was performed on recipient mice following FMT
• Alterations were identified in bile acid metabolites
• Alterations were also identified in vitamin-related metabolites
• These metabolic changes were associated with the observed shifts in gut microbiota composition
• The altered metabolites were characterized as 'harmful metabolites' produced following FMT from CSVD-CI patients