Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2025

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
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Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children

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Alterations in Gut Microbiota Composition Are Associated with Changes in Emotional Distress in Children with

Chung-Guei Huang1,2, Wan-Ni Lin3,4, Li-Jen Hsin3,4

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Main Branch, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan.

Microorganisms
|January 8, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to emotional distress (ED) and altered gut bacteria. Treatment improved ED and gut microbiome diversity, suggesting microbiome-targeted therapies could help children with OSA.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome-gut-brain axis research
  • Pediatric sleep medicine
  • Emotional and behavioral health

Background:

  • The gut microbiota influences emotional and behavioral responses through the microbiota-gut-brain axis.
  • Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with emotional distress (ED).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between pediatric OSA, ED, and gut microbiome alterations.
  • To assess changes in ED and the gut microbiome before and after OSA treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Sixty-six children with OSA underwent polysomnography and adenotonsillectomy.
  • Emotional distress was assessed using the OSA-18 questionnaire.
  • Gut microbiome diversity and composition were analyzed pre- and post-treatment.

Main Results:

  • Children with high ED exhibited reduced gut microbiome alpha diversity (Shannon index) and increased beta diversity.
  • Following treatment, significant improvements in OSA symptoms, ED, and gut microbiome alpha diversity were observed.
  • Specific bacterial changes (e.g., Veillonella, Bifidobacterium) and heart rate variability metrics were associated with ED alterations.

Conclusions:

  • The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the emotional and behavioral symptoms of pediatric OSA.
  • Microbiome-targeted interventions may offer a complementary approach to traditional treatments for reducing ED in children with OSA.
  • Further research is warranted to explore these connections and therapeutic potential.

Keywords:
adenotonsillectomychildrendietary profileeducational counselingemotional distressgut microbiomeobstructive sleep apneasleep heart rate

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