Certain components of the gut microbiome may play a role in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, according to a study published in Nature Microbiology. The study suggests that a specific subset of these components could help guide future diagnostic and mechanistic studies.
Previous research has explored the connection between the gut microbiome and ASD, focusing mainly on changes in gut bacteria composition in individuals with ASD compared to neurotypical individuals.
However, it has been unclear whether other members of the gut microbiome, such as archaea, fungi, and viruses, as well as the functions or genes present, are also altered.
In this study, Siew Ng and colleagues conducted metagenomic sequencing on fecal samples from 1,627 children, both male and female (24.4%), aged 1 to 13 years, with and without ASD from five cohorts in China.
They analyzed these samples alongside data on factors such as diet, medication, and co-morbidity. After accounting for these factors, they identified 14 archaea, 51 bacteria, seven fungi, 18 viruses, 27 microbial genes, and 12 metabolic pathways that were different in children with ASD.
Using machine learning, the researchers developed a model based on a set of 31 microbes and their functions. This model had higher diagnostic accuracy for identifying ASD in both males and females compared to models using gut microbiome markers from a single group (like bacteria or archaea).
The authors believe that these 31 markers have the potential for clinical diagnostic use due to their reproducibility across multiple groups. These findings could also help future research focused on understanding the mechanisms of the gut microbiota’s role in ASD.
If you care about autism, please read studies that cats may help decrease anxiety for kids with autism and new study may develop better treatment for autism.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how to eat your way to a healthy brain, and results showing this type of food may contribute to autism.
The research findings can be found in Nature Microbiology.
Copyright © 2024 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
