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SPECIALITY
Gut microbiota differences seen
in people with autism may be
due to dietary preferences
esearch suggested that in autism, but not a lot of hard depression, and schizophrenia.
autism spectrum disorder evidence,” says senior author Jacob The possibility of targeting the
R(ASD) may be at least partly Gratten, of Mater Research in microbiota is a growing area of
caused by differences in the partnership with The University of research for new treatments.
composition of the gut microbiota, Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
based on the observation that “Our study, which is the largest to In the Cell study, the investigators
certain types of microbes are more date, was designed to overcome analyzed stool samples from a
common in people with autism. some of the limitations of prior work.” total of 247 children between the
But a paper appearing November ages of 2 and 17. The samples
11 in the journal Cell suggests Over the past decade, as next- were collected from 99 children
that the link may actually work the generation sequencing of the diagnosed with ASD, 51 paired
other way around: the diversity microbial species in the gut has undiagnosed siblings, and 97
in species found in the guts of made analysis of the microbiome unrelated, undiagnosed children.
children with autism may be due to more automated and less-time The subjects included in the
their restricted dietary preferences consuming, a number of studies analysis were from the Australian
associated with autism, rather than have examined the link between Autism Biobank and Queensland
the cause of their symptoms. particular species of microbes in Twin Adolescent Brain Project.
the gut and mental health. The
“There’s a lot of interest surrounding gut-brain axis has been linked not 8
the role of the gut microbiome only to ASD but also to anxiety,
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