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Gut microbiome composition and predicted functions relate to growth and behavior in a Japanese preschool cohort

Shunsuke Ichikawa1,2,3,4, Ayaka Shimura5, Aoi Kikuchi5

  • 1Faculty of Education, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-Cho Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan. s.ichikawa@neptune.kanazawa-it.ac.jp.

Scientific Reports
|June 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This study explored gut microbiome links to typical behaviors in Japanese preschoolers. Specific gut bacteria and functions correlated with internalizing, externalizing, and sleep behaviors, suggesting microbiota-gut-brain axis involvement in early development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Microbiology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Early childhood involves rapid brain development and gut microbiome assembly, influencing future mental health and learning.
  • Microbiota-gut-brain communication is crucial for neurodevelopment, but correlates of typical behavior in healthy preschoolers are unclear.
  • Most pediatric research focuses on high-risk groups, leaving a gap in understanding typical behavioral variations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate associations between gut microbiome composition and predicted functions with typical behavioral variations in a community-based sample of Japanese preschool children.
  • To identify specific microbial taxa and metabolic pathways potentially linked to different behavioral domains.
  • To differentiate microbiome-behavior correlations from those related to physical growth in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of typically developing Japanese preschool children.
  • Analysis of gut microbiome composition and predicted functional pathways.
  • Exploratory statistical analysis to identify nominal associations between behavioral data and microbiome features.
  • Control for physical growth parameters (age, height, weight) to isolate behavioral effects.

Main Results:

  • Nominal associations were found between gut microbiome features and behavioral variations within normative ranges.
  • Internalizing behaviors were linked to taxa and pathways associated with inflammation and nucleotide biosynthesis.
  • Somatic complaints and withdrawal correlated with lower predicted fermentative and respiratory activity.
  • Sleep difficulties showed associations with methyl-donor and heme biosynthesis pathways.
  • Externalizing behaviors were linked to predicted cell-envelope and carbohydrate-remodeling pathways.
  • Growth parameters did not confound the observed microbiome-behavior associations.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides an exploratory profile of gut microbiome-behavior correlations in a low-risk Japanese preschool cohort.
  • Specific microbial pathways are highlighted as potential interfaces between the gut microbiome and neurodevelopment in early childhood.
  • Findings suggest the microbiota-gut-brain axis may play a role in typical behavioral development, warranting further investigation.

Keywords:
Behavioral problemsChild behavior checklistGut microbiotaMicrobial metabolic pathwaysPreschool children

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