MiCrobiota-gut-brain Axis in Resistant Epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological chronic conditions with a serious burden on patients, their caregivers, and society. Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) heightens this burden. New approaches are thus a priority. Studies in animal models and humans have shown the link between gut microbiota (GM) and the central nervous system in health, neurological conditions, and neurodevelopmental disorders. DRE has been linked to GM dysbiosis. Preliminary findings in children with DRE showed GM modifications when responding to a ketogenic diet. The mediator role of GM has not yet been studied in DRE patients undergoing surgery/vagal nerve stimulation. CARE's central hypothesis is that the GM and its metabolic profile could contribute to clinical outcomes following these different therapeutic procedures. Identifying microbial biomarkers will enable us to deepen the knowledge of the role of gut-brain axis in epilepsy and to tailor the intervention to each patient based on GM modulation.

NCT Number	NCT07010445
Lead Sponsor	Niguarda Hospital
Conditions	Gut Microbiota, Epilepsy, Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Enrollment	120 participants
Start Date	2024-08-16
Primary Completion	2026-08 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-02 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-04-09