Improvements in Behavioral Symptoms following Antibiotic Therapy in a 14-Year-Old Male with Autism

Ramirez, P.L.; Barnhill, Kelly; Gutierrez, A.; Schutte, Claire; Hewitson, Laura

doi:10.1155/2013/239034

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Interestingly, a small clinical study of vancomycin treatment in ASD children reported some improvements in ASD behaviors, which waned when antibiotic treatment was discontinued (50), suggesting that the microbiome may contribute actively to the severity of behavioral abnormalities in ASD. Particular case studies also link antibiotic treatment to improvements in ASD behaviors and co-morbid conditions (51). In addition, the antibiotics d-cycloserine and minocycline are promising in light of their ability to treat behavioral symptoms of ASD in clinical trials and animal models (52–54).…”

Section: Potential Roles For the Microbiome In Asdmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging Roles for the Gut Microbiome in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Vuong

Hsiao

2017

Biological Psychiatry

467

330

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that affects one in 45 children in the United States, with a similarly striking prevalence in countries around the world. However, mechanisms underlying its etiology and manifestations remain poorly understood. While ASD is diagnosed based on the presence and severity of impaired social communication and repetitive behavior, immune dysregulation and gastrointestinal issues are common co-morbidities. The microbiome is an integral part of human physiology; recent studies show that changes in the gut microbiota can modulate gastrointestinal physiology, immune function and even behavior. Links between particular bacteria from the indigenous gut microbiota and phenotypes relevant to ASD raise the important question of whether microbial dysbiosis plays a role in the development or presentation of ASD symptoms. Here we review reports of microbial dysbiosis in ASD. We further discuss potential effects of the microbiota on ASD-associated symptoms, drawing upon signaling mechanisms for reciprocal interactions between the microbiota, immunity, gut function and behavior. In addition, we discuss recent findings supporting a role for the microbiome as an interface between environmental and genetic risk factors that are associated with ASD. These studies highlight the integration of pathways across multiple body systems that together can impact brain and behavior and suggest that changes in the microbiome may contribute to symptoms of neurodevelopmental disease.

show abstract

Section: Potential Roles For the Microbiome In Asdmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging Roles for the Gut Microbiome in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Vuong

Hsiao

2017

Biological Psychiatry

467

330

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in children and adolescents with FXS, three months of minocycline treatment improved anxiety and mood-related behaviours 238 . Although antibiotic treatment may also improve symptoms in idiopathic forms of ASD 239–241 , ASD with regressive features may be resistant to minocycline therapy 242 . The exact immunomodulatory mechanisms of minocycline are unknown; however, it may exert its effects through a combination of suppressing cytokine signalling, enhancing neurotrophic factor secretion and suppressing mTOR signalling 243 .…”

Section: Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The exact immunomodulatory mechanisms of minocycline are unknown; however, it may exert its effects through a combination of suppressing cytokine signalling, enhancing neurotrophic factor secretion and suppressing mTOR signalling 243 . Minocycline could relieve ASD-related phenotypes directly through altering neural function or indirectly through ameliorating ongoing immune dysfunction or through regulating the intestinal microbiota 241 .…”

Section: Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

Immune mediators in the brain and peripheral tissues in autism spectrum disorder

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Increasing evidence points to a central role for immune dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Several ASD risk genes encode components of the immune system and many maternal immune system-related risk factors — including autoimmunity, infection and fetal reactive antibodies — are associated with ASD. In addition, there is evidence of ongoing immune dysregulation in individuals with ASD and animal models of this disorder. Recently, several molecular signalling pathways have been identified that link immune activation to ASD phenotypes, including pathways downstream of cytokines, hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET), MHCI molecules, microglia and complement factors. These findings indicate that the immune system is a point of convergence for various ASD-related genetic and environmental risk factors.

show abstract

“…Similarly, for ASD, an improvement in symptoms has been observed after intervention. Here, antibiotic treatment alleviated anxiety in children with ASD [40], and treatment with vancomycin, an antibiotic used to treat infections with Clostridia, resulted in significant short-term improvement in neurobehavioral symptoms in children with autism [41]. Following the discontinuation of vancomycin, the behavioral improvements largely waned.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gut microbiota from persons with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder affects the brain in mice

Tengeler¹,

Dam

Wiesmann³

et al. 2020

Microbiome

104

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: The impact of the gut microbiota on host physiology and behavior has been relatively well established. Whether changes in microbial composition affect brain structure and function is largely elusive, however. This is important as altered brain structure and function have been implicated in various neurodevelopmental disorders, like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We hypothesized that gut microbiota of persons with and without ADHD, when transplanted into mice, would differentially modify brain function and/or structure. We investigated this by colonizing young, male, germ-free C57BL/6JOlaHsd mice with microbiota from individuals with and without ADHD. We generated and analyzed microbiome data, assessed brain structure and function by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and studied mouse behavior in a behavioral test battery.Results: Principal coordinate analysis showed a clear separation of fecal microbiota of mice colonized with ADHD and control microbiota. With diffusion tensor imaging, we observed a decreased structural integrity of both white and gray matter regions (i.e., internal capsule, hippocampus) in mice that were colonized with ADHD microbiota. We also found significant correlations between white matter integrity and the differentially expressed microbiota. Mice colonized with ADHD microbiota additionally showed decreased resting-state functional MRI-based connectivity between right motor and right visual cortices. These regions, as well as the hippocampus and internal capsule, have previously been reported to be altered in several neurodevelopmental disorders. Furthermore, we also show that mice colonized with ADHD microbiota were more anxious in the open-field test. Conclusions: Taken together, we demonstrate that altered microbial composition could be a driver of altered brain structure and function and concomitant changes in the animals' behavior. These findings may help to understand the mechanisms through which the gut microbiota contributes to the pathobiology of neurodevelopmental disorders.

show abstract

Improvements in Behavioral Symptoms following Antibiotic Therapy in a 14-Year-Old Male with Autism

Cited by 11 publications

References 3 publications

Emerging Roles for the Gut Microbiome in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Emerging Roles for the Gut Microbiome in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Immune mediators in the brain and peripheral tissues in autism spectrum disorder

Gut microbiota from persons with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder affects the brain in mice

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About