New research suggests that the bacteria that reside in the human get influence children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This is related to stomach conditions in children who go onto show signs of autism.
The bacteria in the human gut and the way that the
types and numbers change have been recently linked to a range of
conditions, from digestion, fine-tuning body weight, regulating immune
response, and producing neurotransmitters that affect brain and
behavior. New revelations come as knowledge of the ‘human microbiome’
(the totality of microorganisms on an in the human body) increases. The
latest connection is with gut bacteria and autism.
Autism is a
disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social
interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication, and by restricted,
repetitive or stereotyped behaviour. Autism is defined as a spectrum
disorder, due to the broad range of symptoms involved and the influence
of both genetic and environmental factors.
The new research
has shown that autistic children have a tendency to experience
gastro-intestinal problems that can last into adulthood. This indicates a
possible link with the types of gut bacteria and autism. Specifically,
children with autism had significantly fewer types of gut bacteria,
probably making them more vulnerable to pathogenic bacteria.
The researchers hope that the technique developed to show the link will
become a diagnostic tool to pinpoint autism and also work as a guide to
developing effective treatments for ASD-associated gut bacterial
problems.
The research was carried out at the Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute. The findings have been published
in the journal PLOS ONE in a paper titled “Reduced Incidence of
Prevotella and Other Fermenters in Intestinal Microflora of Autistic
Children.”
The report follows on from an earlier Digital Journal account
of research which indicated that researchers have put forward a method
for predicting autism in infants by examining how their brain reacts as
they attempt to speak and process language.
Posted by Tim Sandle
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