Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China.
Biomed Pharmacother. 2023 Sep;165:115243. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115243. Epub 2023 Jul 28.
Brain injury, a common complication in preterm infants, includes the destruction of the key structural and functional connections of the brain and causes neurodevelopmental disorders; it has high morbidity and mortality rates. The exact mechanism underlying brain injury in preterm infants is unclear. Intestinal flora plays a vital role in brain development and the maturation of the immune system in infants; however, detailed understanding of the gut microbiota-metabolite-brain axis in preterm infants is lacking. In this review, we summarise the key mechanisms by which the intestinal microbiota contribute to neurodevelopment and brain injury in preterm infants, with special emphasis on the influence of microorganisms and their metabolites on the regulation of neurocognitive development and neurodevelopmental risks related to preterm birth, infection and neonatal necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). This review provides support for the development and application of novel therapeutic strategies, including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and faecal bacteria transplantation targeting at brain injury in preterm infants.
脑损伤是早产儿的常见并发症，包括脑的关键结构和功能连接的破坏，并导致神经发育障碍；它具有高发病率和死亡率。早产儿脑损伤的确切机制尚不清楚。肠道菌群在婴儿的大脑发育和免疫系统成熟中起着至关重要的作用；然而，对于早产儿肠道微生物群-代谢物-大脑轴的详细了解还很缺乏。在这篇综述中，我们总结了肠道菌群促进早产儿神经发育和脑损伤的关键机制，特别强调了微生物及其代谢物对调节神经认知发育和与早产、感染和新生儿坏死性小肠结肠炎（NEC）相关的神经发育风险的影响。本综述为开发和应用针对早产儿脑损伤的新型治疗策略提供了支持，包括益生菌、益生元、合生菌和粪便细菌移植。
