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Relationship between the gut microbiota and temperament in children 1-2 years old in Chinese birth cohort

Tianqu Xie1, Yuchen Wang2, Zhijie Zou1

  • 1Wuhan University School of Nursing, Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, China.

Journal of Psychiatric Research
|February 1, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Childhood temperament is linked to gut bacteria composition. Specific bacteria like Faecalibacterium and Bifidobacterium correlate with certain temperament traits, offering insights into behavioral development.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Developmental psychology
  • Pediatric health

Background:

  • Gut microbiota's role in child development is under-researched.
  • Understanding the gut-brain axis in early childhood is crucial for behavioral interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between gut microbiota and temperament in children aged 1 and 2 years.
  • To explore how age and gender influence this relationship.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 37 children with fecal sample collection at ages 1 and 2.
  • Temperament assessed using validated questionnaires (IBQ-R, ECBQ).
  • Gut microbiota composition analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing; statistical models used for association analysis.

Main Results:

  • At age 2, Faecalibacterium negatively correlated with high-intensity pleasure/surgency; Bifidobacterium negatively correlated with perceptual sensitivity.
  • No significant changes in temperament domains between ages 1 and 2.
  • Gut microbiota composition and diversity differed between ages, but the relationship with temperament was consistent across age and gender.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood temperament is associated with gut microbiota composition over time.
  • This relationship is stable and not significantly influenced by age or gender in early childhood.
Abstract

Keywords:
AgeGenderGut microbiotaTemperamentToddlers

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