Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that begin in infancy. In recent years, the incidence of ASD in the world is increasing year by year. At present, the etiology and pathogenesis of ASD are not clear, and effective treatments are still lacking. In addition to neurobehavioral symptoms, children with ASD often have obvious gastrointestinal symptoms. Gut microbiota is a large microbial community in the human gut, which is closely related to the nervous system and can affect brain development and behavior through the neuroendocrine, neuroimmune and autonomic nervous systems, forming a microbiota-gut-brain axis connection. Recent studies have shown that children with ASD have significant gut microbiota and metabolic disorders, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is expected to improve ASD-related symptoms by regulating gut microbiota and metabolism. This review paper will therefore focus on FMT in the treatment of ASD, and FMT is effective in improving gastrointestinal and neurobehavioral symptoms in children with ASD.

Effects and microbiota changes following oral lyophilized fecal microbiota transplantation in children with autism spectrum disorder

“…From the family level, Erysipelotrichaceae and Ruminococcaceae had higher levels, and Prevotellaceae, Actinomycetaceae, Coriobacteriaceae, Streptococcaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae and Oscillospira had lower levels in children with ASD ( 35 ). Clostridium, Alkaliflexus, Desulfovibrio, Acetanaerobacterium, Parabacteroides, Lactobacillus, Sutterella, Odoribacter, Butyricimonas, Prevotella, Dorea, Collinsella, Lachnoclostridium, Bifidobacterium, Coprobacillus elevated in ASD children, while Weissella, Helcococcus, Alkaliphilus, Anaerofilum, Pseudoramibacter, Streptococcus, Anaerovorax, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Ethanoligenens, Veillonella, Flavonifractor, Haemophilus, Eisenbergiella, Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium, Parasutterella, Paraprevotella reduced in the genus level ( 8 , 36 , 37 ). These findings regarding changes in microbiota in each study may vary due to differences in sample size and population.…”

“…Compared with the control group, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were more abundant in children with ASD, and the abundance of Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Clostridium, Faecalibacterium and Phascolarctobacterium was significantly higher in children with ASD, while the abundance of Coprococcus and Bifidobacterium was lower ( 7 ). Gut microbiota affects brain development and neurobehavior through immune, neural and metabolic pathways ( 8 ). Therefore, the microbiota-gut-brain axis plays a vital role in ASD and has been considered to be a therapeutic target for ASD ( 9 ).…”

Food Selectivity in Children with Autism: Guidelines for Assessment and Clinical Interventions

“…For this reason, children with ASD might be at a higher risk to develop intestinal dysbiosis and related GID compared to peers with a more balanced diet [ 137 ]. At the same time, children with ASD might present, very early on in development, an intestinal dysbiosis, which is known to affect brain development and behavior through the neuroendocrine, neuroimmune, and autonomic nervous systems [ 138 ]. Thus, food selectivity and mealtime behavioral problems might emerge late in development as correlates of sensory aversion and other characteristics related to the ASD condition.…”

Fecalmicrobiota transplantation in autism spectrumdisorder– anovel treatment approach

“…Microbiota gut brain axis is a complex network and consists of multiple pathways that send signals between microbiota and brain. Brain regulates the composition and function of gut microbiota by releasing neuroactive compounds which act on gut microbiota or receptors or by regulating motility and secretory activity of gut (Li Y et al, 2022). Changes in the composition of gut bacteria have been associated…”