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Early-life enteric infections: relation between chronic systemic inflammation and poor cognition in children

Reinaldo B Oriá1, Laura E Murray-Kolb2, Rebecca J Scharf2

  • 1R.B. Oriá is with the Laboratory of Tissue Healing, Ontogeny and Nutrition, Institute of Biomedicine and Department of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil. L.E. Murray-Kolb is with The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA. R.J. Scharf, G. Kolling, and R.L. Guerrant are with the Center for Global Health, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. L.L. Pendergast is with the School Psychology Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. D.R. Lang is with the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. rbo5u@virginia.edu.

Nutrition Reviews
|May 5, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Early life gut infections disrupt the intestinal microbiota, causing inflammation and potentially impairing cognitive development. This impacts the gut-liver-brain axis, affecting growth and metabolism.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • The intestinal microbiota develops significantly in the first 1-1.5 years of life.
  • Early diet and enteric pathogens heavily influence this critical developmental window.
  • Dysbiosis and bacterial overgrowth can arise from early infections and malnutrition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review evidence linking early-life enteric infections to long-term health outcomes.
  • To explore the role of intestinal barrier dysfunction and systemic inflammation.
  • To examine the impact on the gut-liver-brain axis and cognitive development.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature and data.
  • Analysis of studies focusing on infant gut microbiota.
  • Examination of research on intestinal barrier function and inflammation.

Main Results:

  • Early enteric infections can lead to intestinal microbiota dysbiosis.
  • Intestinal barrier dysfunction facilitates bacterial product translocation, causing inflammation.
  • Chronic inflammation impacts the gut-liver-brain axis, affecting development.

Conclusions:

  • Early-life gut infections are associated with impaired cognitive development.
  • Intestinal barrier disruption and systemic inflammation are key mechanisms.
  • Interventions targeting the early gut microbiota may be crucial for healthy development.

Keywords:
cognitionenteric infectionsenvironmental enteropathyintestinal microbiomemalnutrition

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