How an Antibiotic Affects Gut Health and Brain Inflammation in MS

Researchers want to understand whether vancomycin, an antibiotic, can help reduce brain inflammation in people with newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. Your gut bacteria play a role in MS, and this medication may change those bacteria in ways that calm the immune system. This early-stage study will look at how the medication affects your gut microbiome, immune function, and brain lesions on MRI scans.

Scientists have discovered that the bacteria in your gut can influence brain inflammation and MS symptoms, but they don't yet know which specific bacteria matter most or how to target them. This trial investigates whether this medication can shift your gut bacteria in helpful ways—offering a potentially simple new approach to treating MS.