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A possible link between early probiotic intervention and the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders later in childhood: a
Anna Pärtty1, Marko Kalliomäki1, Pirjo Wacklin2
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Insights
Early probiotic supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG may prevent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Asperger syndrome (AS) in children. Lower Bifidobacterium levels were observed in affected children, suggesting a link between gut microbiota and neurodevelopment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Emerging evidence links gut microbiota alterations to nervous system function, offering novel insights into neuropsychiatric disorder mechanisms.
- Gut microbiota's role in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders is an area of active investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of early-life probiotic supplementation on the development of neuropsychiatric disorders.
- To explore the association between gut microbiota composition and the incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Asperger syndrome (AS).
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 75 infants receiving Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG or placebo for the first 6 months of life.
- Longitudinal follow-up for 13 years, with gut microbiota analysis (FISH, qPCR) at multiple time points.
- Diagnosis of ADHD and AS based on ICD-10 criteria by child neurologists/psychiatrists.
Main Results:
- At 13 years, 17.1% of children in the placebo group were diagnosed with ADHD or AS, compared to 0% in the probiotic group (P = 0.008).
- Children later diagnosed with ADHD or AS had significantly lower fecal Bifidobacterium species counts during the first 6 months of life (P = 0.03).
Conclusions:
- Early-life probiotic supplementation may reduce the risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders later in childhood.
- Potential mechanisms may involve modulation of gut microbiota composition, though other pathways might also contribute.
Background:
Recent experimental evidence suggests that gut microbiota may alter function within the nervous system providing new insight on the mechanism of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Methods:
Seventy-five infants who were randomized to receive Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) or placebo during the first 6 mo of life were followed-up for 13 y. Gut microbiota was assessed at the age of 3 wk, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 mo, and 13 y using fluorescein in situ hybridization (FISH) and qPCR, and indirectly by determining the blood group secretor type at the age of 13 y. The diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Asperger syndrome (AS) by a child neurologist or psychiatrist were based on ICD-10 diagnostic criteria.
Results:
At the age of 13 y, ADHD or AS was diagnosed in 6/35 (17.1%) children in the placebo and none in the probiotic group (P = 0.008). The mean (SD) numbers of Bifidobacterium species bacteria in feces during the first 6 mo of life was lower in affected children 8.26 (1.24) log cells/g than in healthy children 9.12 (0.64) log cells/g; P = 0.03.
Conclusion:
Probiotic supplementation early in life may reduce the risk of neuropsychiatric disorder development later in childhood possible by mechanisms not limited to gut microbiota composition.
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