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Changes to the Gut Microbiome in Young Children Showing Early Behavioral Signs of Autism
Jacquelyn Jones1,2, Stacey N Reinke3, Mahsa Mousavi-Derazmahalleh1,2
1Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
Insights
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children is linked to gut microbiome changes, including higher fungal richness and specific bacterial shifts. These gut-brain-microbiota axis alterations may correlate with ASD severity and inform early interventions.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- The gut microbiome is increasingly implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition affecting social interaction.
- Gut microbiota metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, influence the gut-brain-microbiota axis, impacting brain health and ASD symptoms.
- Distinct fecal microbiome shifts are observed in older children with ASD, but early detection in young children remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the microbiome and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiles in young children (21-40 months) exhibiting early behavioral signs of ASD.
- To investigate the relationship between microbial composition, SCFA concentrations, and ASD severity in this age group.
- To explore potential microbial differences associated with pre-emptive interventions in early ASD.
Main Methods:
- Fecal samples were collected from young children with early ASD signs.
- Microbiome composition (bacterial and fungal) and SCFA concentrations were analyzed.
- Statistical analyses were performed to correlate microbial and metabolite data with ASD severity, stool form, and pre-emptive treatment.
Main Results:
- Higher fungal richness and acetic acid concentrations correlated with increased ASD severity.
- Specific bacterial taxa abundance varied with ASD severity.
- Bacterial diversity and SCFA levels were associated with stool form, and certain bacterial families differed based on stool firmness.
- Exploratory analysis revealed significant microbiome differences in children receiving pre-emptive treatment.
Conclusions:
- Gut microbiome alterations, including fungal richness and specific bacterial taxa, are associated with ASD severity in young children.
- Microbial profiles and SCFA concentrations correlate with gastrointestinal characteristics like stool form.
- These findings suggest the gut-brain-microbiota axis plays a role in early ASD development and may be a target for interventions.
Abstract:
The human gut microbiome has increasingly been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is a neurological developmental disorder, characterized by impairments to social interaction. The ability of the gut microbiota to signal across the gut-brain-microbiota axis with metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids, impacts brain health and has been identified to play a role in the gastrointestinal and developmental symptoms affecting autistic children. The fecal microbiome of older children with ASD has repeatedly shown particular shifts in the bacterial and fungal microbial community, which are significantly different from age-matched neurotypical controls, but it is still unclear whether these characteristic shifts are detectable before diagnosis. Early microbial colonization patterns can have long-lasting effects on human health, and pre-emptive intervention may be an important mediator to more severe autism. In this study, we characterized both the microbiome and short-chain fatty acid concentrations of fecal samples from young children between 21 and 40 months who were showing early behavioral signs of ASD. The fungal richness and acetic acid concentrations were observed to be higher with increasing autism severity, and the abundance of several bacterial taxa also changed due to the severity of ASD. Bacterial diversity and SCFA concentrations were also associated with stool form, and some bacterial families were found with differential abundance according to stool firmness. An exploratory analysis of the microbiome associated with pre-emptive treatment also showed significant differences at multiple taxonomic levels. These differences may impact the microbial signaling across the gut-brain-microbiota axis and the neurological development of the children.
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