AUGUST 13, 2015

Early Research Points to Autism-Microbiome Link

Altering the intestinal microbiome of mice or administering microbial metabolites can induce or improve features of autism, an international group of researchers has found.

The scientists reported successfully modifying the behavioral, communication and psychological features of autism by feeding mice Bacteroides fragilis and administering short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

“There is an increasing appreciation that not only can microbes influence brain and behavior in disorders such as