The purported autism-microbiome connection is having a moment. It’s the focus of a new $50-million call for proposals from Wellcome Leap—a research initiative of the Wellcome Trust—and a 2024 Netflix documentary portrays fecal microbiota transplants as a promising treatment for autism-related traits. “It seems to have captured the public’s imagination,” says Kevin Mitchell, associate professor […]
That’s a wrap: Mice that produce high levels of the molecule 4EPS (top) have atypically sparse brain myelin — the fatty substance that sheathes axons and conducts neuronal signals — compared with controls (bottom). Mice chemically coaxed to produce high levels of an autism-linked gut molecule have anxiety-like behavior and unusual patterns of brain connectivity, […]
Boosting the Immune System: Changes in a mother mouse’s gut microbiome can induce an overactive immune response in her pups. IKELOS GmbH/Dr. Christopher B. Jackson/Science Source Pregnant mice that elicit an immune response have offspring with autism-like traits and an increased susceptibility to intestinal inflammation, according to a new study. The findings could help explain […]
Research summary People with autism are at increased risk of developing gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease, according to a review of eight studies. Autism research Various interventions to improve balance have been shown to be helpful in autistic children and adolescents. Perception and motor skills The severity of […]
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Illustration by Laurène Boglio Hello and welcome to the community newsletter! I am your host, Chelsey B. Coombs, the engagement editor of Spectrum. The research community released a new paper this week looking at the relationship between autism and the gut microbiome, which some work suggests may be less diverse in autistic people. A thread […]
Research summary Analysis of the proteins in the stool of autistic children revealed altered levels of specific gut microbes and enzymes that metabolize carbohydrates. Journal of Proteomics Two commercially available wireless heart rate trackers are convenient and reliable for use with autistic children. Autism research Nutritional problems in children, especially those that persist into the […]
The gut microbiome is having a moment. An explosion of research over the past decade has delved into a possible connection between the microbiome and brain conditions, including autism. Once-fringe microbial treatments for autism, such as fecal transplants and probiotic pills, are receiving serious scientific attention and funding. It’s still an open question, however, whether […]
https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/microbiome/gut-might-modify-mind/97/i14 Hint: Could the belly be the culprit behind the struggles of the younger generation riddled with fear, worry and self-doubt? We know the role it plays in autistic behavior. And a certain doctor tried to ask tough questions a couple of decades ago, as you may remember ….. ### The gut microbiome of infants […]
Gut Guide: An online data set describes the metabolites produced by nearly 200 microorganisms in the human gut. Steve Gschmeissner / Science Photo Library A new online repository gathers information about the small molecules, or metabolites, produced by nearly 200 microorganisms that commonly live in the human gut. The resource, described in Nature in July, […]
Illustration by Laurène Boglio Hello and welcome to this week’s community newsletter! I am your host, Chelsey B. Coombs, the engagement editor of Spectrum. We have some great tweets for you guys this week, so let’s dive in. Our first thread was from Robert McCutcheon, Clinical Research Fellow in Psychiatry at King’s College London in […]
