From: hound23x@gmail.com   
      
   Elizabeth Gough-Gordon, Digital Content Editor   
   March 18, 2015   
      
      
   Gut Bacteria, ASD, and Probiotics: Exploring the Relationship   
      
   Gut Bacteria, ASD, and Probiotics: Exploring the Relationship   
   Gut Bacteria, ASD, and Probiotics: Exploring the Relationship   
   New evidence has emerged exploring the relationship between gut microbiome,   
   autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and probiotic treatment. This research was   
   presented at the Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit in Barcelona, Spain.   
      
   Elaine Y. Hsiao, PhD, from the California Institute of Technology, and   
   colleagues sought to examine the relationship between microbial composition,   
   gut conditions, and ASD and potential therapeutic connections. In the study,   
   pregnant mice were injected    
   with artificially created virus-like DNA to activate the immune system and   
   induce ASD in the offspring. The offspring exhibited behavioral patterns   
   consistent with ASD including spending less time in the middle of open space   
   compared to healthy mice,    
   being more easily startled by sounds, being less sociable, producing fewer   
   vocalizations, and clinging to stereotypic actions. The ASD mice had altered   
   gut microbiota composition and the permeability of their intestines ("leaky   
   gut") was greater compared    
   to healthy mice.   
      
   RELATED: Gut Bacteria Linked to Autism   
      
   The serum of the ASD mice contained 46 times the normal amount of   
   4-ethylphenyl sulfate (4-EPS), a metabolite of gut bacteria that is chemically   
   similar to p-cresol, a gut microbial metabolite that has been found at high   
   concentrations in the urine of    
   children with ASD. After 4-EPS was administered to healthy mice, this group   
   began to exhibit some of the same behavioral symptoms as the ASD mice; this   
   may indicate that leaked 4-EPS and similar molecules may travel in the   
   bloodstream in high    
   concentrations and reach the brain to influence behavior. Probiotic treatment   
   with commensal microbe B. fragilis that is present in healthy human intestines   
   for the ASD mice returned the intestinal permeability and 4-EPS levels to   
   normal.   
      
   While Dr. Hsiao emphasizes that these results are currently restricted only to   
   mice, the researchers hope that these findings could help to develop new   
   treatment approaches for humans by which a bacterium can improve ASD-related   
   gastrointestinal deficits    
   and ASD-associated behavioral abnormalities.   
      
   For more information visit GutMicrotiotaForHealth.com.   
      
      
      
   http://www.empr.com/gut-bacteria-autism-spectrum-disorder-and-pr   
   biotics-exploring-the-relationship/article/404157/   
      
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