Thank you for this excellent article. It is very interesting, that the presence of two gut bacteria populations result in the prevention of seizures. If we stick to the concept, that the origin of seizures is in the brain, there should be a mediator in-between. The question is, what factors (chemical?, immunological?, electrical?) do these bacteria release or mediate, that have access to the brain? Or should we focus on the gut as the primary origin of seizures? Can the huge enteric nervous system suppress seizures in the CNS? I know all this is highly speculative. However, what is your opinion on HOW this may work out?
Well, up to this point, even with all of the evidence, the fact about the role of these bacteria remain hypothetical. It is possible that all this while, our gut bacteria were the one who prevents seizures on all of us and any disruption to the bacterial ecological system can induce one. Both of these bacteria exist for a reason and now, we might have been closer to reveal them.
Yes, indeed it is very hypothetical. However, if the bacteria "exist for [the] reason" ... "to prevent seizures on all of us" the poor life of sterile mice should be full of seizures. I thought seizures had to be actively induced, also in these sterile mice for example by chemicals like Kainic acid or Pilocarpine or by electroshock. So the absence of the bacteria may not be sufficient to induce seizures, but there presence may prevent seizures under certain circumstances.
Of course @fragmentarion. I'm not really that knowledgeable regarding how they were testing mice, but the seizure was definitely induced. Whatever it is, there is not one condition which is only maintained by a single factor. Seizure for example can be multifactorial. The discovery of ketogenic diet prevent seizure will only revealed one of the factor that we can control to prevent it. Of course, there were something else. Infection for example, meningitis can present with seizure despite how clean you were eating. So the way of not getting seizure is not being infected. Seizure still being one of the most hazy topic to be discussed with.