In every moment of life, more than a hundred trillion microbes, called the microbiome, live on the surface of skin and course through the human body. In human cleavage, large colonies of bacteria, belonging to about 1000 different species, perform functions from digestion and regulation of body weight to effects on the brain and behavior, many of which that is still inaccessible to science.
Recent studies in mice and humans have revealed interesting links between gut microbiota composition and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a disease believed to affect one in 54 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Dr. Krajmalnik-Brown’s speech suggests links between gut bacteria and ASD, highlighting encouraging results of a clinical trial with a microbiome-focused open-label ASD.
The described procedure involves the transfer of healthy gut microbes into the gut of ASD patients over a period of 7-8 weeks, as a means of treating the symptoms of the disorder. Known as microbial movement therapy (MTT), the approach seeks to address the gastrointestinal issues commonly associated with ASD as well as offer relief from some of the typical behavioral symptoms of the disease.
ASD is a complex neurobiologic disorder, the origins of which are not yet known. The injury often takes hold in early childhood, affecting social interactions and communication, leading to limited, repetitive and stereotyped behavioral patterns. Gut microbiota is known to play a role in ASD, which causes problems in the GI tract that are often linked to the depth of ASD. Researchers have found an excessive composition of gut bacteria in patients with ASD who do not have the extensive microbial diversity associated with a healthy gut microbiome.
Krajmalnik-Brown, director of the ASU Center for Biodesign for Health through Microbiomes, along with her colleagues, has expanded earlier studies, administered MTT to 18 children diagnosed with ASD and closely monitored on their GI and behavioral responses. Treatment began with a 2-week antibiotic regimen and bowel cleansing, a stomach acid suppressant, followed by an extended transmission of gut microbes from healthy people, using a high initial dose followed by daily and lower maintenance doses over two months.
Initial results showed a significant increase in gut microbial diversity, an 80% reduction in GI symptoms and an improvement in autism-related behaviors. A review of the original 18 participants two years after MTT treatment showed other encouraging results. The majority of postoperative GI improvement was maintained while the ASD behavioral correlation improved over time. Bacterial composition was significantly improved by the treatment, which is especially evident in the bacterial diversity and abundance of two species, Bifidobacteria and Prevotella, along with other taxa.
After MTT, levels of many metabolites in plasma have been shown to be more similar to those in normally developing children, possibly as a result of shifting ASD microbial colonies to closer. on the normal healthy split.
The research benefited from a multi-omic approach, which examines microbes, pathways, genes, and metabolites – potential candidates for more accurate biomarkers and targets for future treatment. “Through blood metabolomics we were able to see that the microbiome changes lead to systemic changes for meaningful metabolites. This is encouraging and promising,” Krajmalnik-Brown said.
The findings of the study suggest the long-term safety of the MTT method and provide a promising path for further research in the detection and management of this widespread disease, for which medical treatment is not yet established.
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