By Addie Mims Class of 2025

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Migraine-Related Reversals in C. elegans

Editor’s Note: The Taft STEM Research Fellowship is a yearlong, advanced study program for students pursuing interdisciplinary STEM research beyond the classroom. Fellows work closely with faculty and expert mentors, collaborate with peers, and apply their research to real-world problems, culminating in a public presentation to faculty and field professionals. The course combines independent scholarship with structured support and offers opportunities to explore research that bridges multiple STEM disciplines.

Abstract

Migraine is a common neurological disorder that creates symptoms like intense head pressure, nausea, blurred vision, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light, sound, touch, and smell. Migraines disrupt normal neurotransmission, leading to intense symptoms that impair daily life. Current treatments are hard to navigate and can be ineffective and expensive, highlighting the necessity for new and innovative approaches. It has recently been discovered that the gut-brain axis, which connects gut health and brain function, may play a role in migraines. This study explored the link between the gut and migraines using C. elegans as a model. The UNC-2 genotype in C. elegans mimics human migraines, with abrupt directional changes representing migraine episodes. Since C. elegans feed on bacteria, two strains, wildtype and UNC-2, were given one of three bacterial diets, and their movements were observed for one minute. Two of the bacterial diets consisted of probiotic bacteria, which are known to improve gut health. Results showed that UNC-2 C. elegans fed the probiotic diets of Lactobacillus casei or Bifidobacterium lactis had fewer migraine-like episodes than those on an E. coli diet, suggesting a possible link between gut health and migraines.

Poster

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