Gut microbiome-modulated dietary strategies in EAE and multiple sclerosis

Over the last few decades, the incidence of multiple sclerosis has increased as society's dietary habits have switched from a whole foods approach to a high fat, high salt, low dietary fiber, and processed food diet, termed the Western diet. Environmental factors, such as diet, could play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis due to gut microbiota alterations, gut barrier leakage, and subsequent intestinal inflammation that could lead to exacerbated neuroinflammation. This mini-review explores the gut microbiome alterations of various dietary strategies that improve upon the Western diet as promising alternatives and targets to current multiple sclerosis treatments. We also provide evidence that gut microbiome modulation through diet can improve or exacerbate clinical symptoms of multiple sclerosis, highlighting the importance of including gut microbiome analyses in future studies of diet and disease.

Automated summary

The incidence of multiple sclerosis has increased due to the shift from a whole foods approach to the Western diet. The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis may involve changes in gut microbiota, gut barrier leakage, and intestinal inflammation. This review discusses the potential of dietary strategies to modulate the gut microbiome as alternative treatments for multiple sclerosis and emphasizes the importance of incorporating gut microbiome analysis in future research.