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Zarafshan ShirazNew Delhi
July 13, 2024 01:01 pm IST
The gut microbiome may have more than just a transient effect on ASD, as new study links gut health to autism, raising the possibility of new treatments
Autism is considered a developmental disorder that impedes socialization and some of its common symptoms include difficulty in making eye contact, difficulty in communication and social interaction, sensory difficulties, and repetitive movements where children with autism often experience stress due to various reasons such as daily chores or activities, struggle to express their distress and provoke anxiety, which can lead to disruptive behavior. To help them grow and develop to their full potential, creating a supportive and suitable environment so that the autistic child feels safe and protected but to date, the exact cause of autism is still not known, although it is linked to several factors where one of the factors is genetics, as was the case with most autistic children.
It’s been proven that children who have a sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a higher risk of developing it as well, but we still have much to learn and diagnose about the many factors that can cause ASD and how they affect people with the condition. And in a recent study published in Nature Microbiology, researchers found clear differences in the gut microbiome of autistic children compared to neurotypical children, including decreased diversity, altered amounts of specific microorganisms, and disruptions in metabolic pathways related to energy and neural development.
For the new study, researchers studied 1,627 children aged 1 to 13 years, both with and without autism, and found that 14 archaea, 51 bacteria, 7 fungi, 18 viruses, 27 microbial genes, and 12 metabolic pathways were altered in children with autism. Bhishamdeb Chakrabarti, research director of the Autism Centre at the University of Reading in England, shared in a statement from Science Media Centre, “The results are broadly consistent with previous studies that show reduced microbial diversity in autistic individuals. It also examines one of the largest samples seen in a study of this kind, which further strengthens the results. One limitation of this data is that it cannot assess any causal role of the microbiota in the development of autism.”
The 31-marker panel with microbial characteristics demonstrated strong diagnostic value for autism spectrum disorder across different groups and age groups with 82% accuracy, suggesting the possibility of developing a non-invasive diagnostic test based on gut microbiome analysis. According to previous studies and experts in the field, chemicals and metabolites produced in the gut can influence behavior and neurological functions, highlighting the potential role of the gut in the manifestation of ASD or that the gut microbiome may have more than a temporary effect on ASD.
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