A longitudinal study of the gut microbiota during the first three years of life: Links with problem behavior and

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Yvonne Willemsen1, Yangwenshan Ou1,2, Clara Belzer2

  • 1Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Development and Psychopathology
|November 23, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Early gut microbiota composition influences child development. Specific bacteria like Streptococcus and Ruminococcus torques were linked to executive functions and internalizing behaviors in young children.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • The early-life period is critical for development, with gut microbiota-gut-brain interactions potentially playing a significant role.
  • Understanding these interactions is key to identifying early markers for behavioral and cognitive development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the longitudinal associations between gut microbiota composition in early life and problem behavior and executive functions in children.
  • To identify specific gut bacteria and their temporal changes linked to developmental outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 64 children from birth to three years of age.
  • Analysis of gut microbiota composition at multiple time points: two, six, and 12 weeks, and one and three years.
  • Assessment of problem behavior and executive functions at three years of age.

Main Results:

  • Higher Streptococcus abundance at two weeks and its trajectory were associated with worse executive functions.
  • Increased Ruminococcus torques group abundance at three years and its trajectory were linked to less internalizing behavior.
  • Age-specific associations included Bifidobacterium (more internalizing/externalizing issues) and Blautia (less internalizing behavior) at three years, and an unidentified Enterobacteriaceae genus (more externalizing behavior) at two weeks.

Conclusions:

  • Early-life gut microbiota composition and its changes over time are associated with behavioral and cognitive development in children.
  • These findings provide longitudinal evidence supporting the role of the gut microbiota-gut-brain axis in early development.
  • Specific microbial profiles may serve as potential early indicators for developmental trajectories.

Keywords:
cognitionearly lifeexecutive functionsgut microbiotaproblem behavior

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