Assistant Professor Harvard Medical School/ Brigham & Women's Hospital
The gut microbiome can affect the brain by modulating the immune system, secreting neuroactive metabolites, and by signaling via the vagus nerve. The microbiome can help maintain healthy brain functions, but disruptions in the gut microbiota can contribute to neurologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. In addition, the gut microbiota may also regulate therapeutic drug efficacy. Understanding these interactions will be critical for the development of novel therapies to treat neurologic disease.
Learning Objectives:
Understand how the gut microbiome may contribute to neurologic diseases
Learn about the bi-directional interaction between disease modifying therapies and the gut microbiota in neurologic disease
Understand emerging microbiome-based therapeutic approaches to treat and prevent neurologic diseases
