The latest discovery of Chinese scholars is that intestinal flora adjustment can improve the symptoms of children with autism (ASD)!

【Background Analysis】

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication disorders, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors
.

【Research Progress】

Experts from China's Army Military Medical University published a study in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology last year, pointing out that through the adjustment of intestinal flora, it can improve the behavior of children with autism (ASD) and gastrointestinal symptoms
.

【Clinical Trials】

A large number of studies have shown that autistic patients will have a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, etc.

With the microbiome-gut-brain axis (MGBA) concept (i.

The research team selected 40 children aged 3 to 17 who were diagnosed with autism and accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms as the experimental group.

As shown in the figure above, all children received 4 weeks (1-4) of intestinal flora adjustment treatment, and then 8 weeks (5-12) of observation to compare the improvement effect
.

【Test result】

Result 1: Intestinal adverse reactions were alleviated in children with autism (ASD).

As shown in the figure above, from week 4 of treatment, the intestinal adverse reactions of children with autism were significantly reduced, with an overall decrease of about 35%, and this trend
was maintained for the following 8 weeks.

As shown in the figure above, the changes in the excreta of children with autism (ASD) (according to Table Table 2) are recorded, and the scaling, watery stools, etc.

Results 2: Symptoms of children with autism (ASD) improved significantly

As shown in the figure above, after 4 weeks of treatment, the child's ABC Scale score (Autistic Children's Behavior Scale) showed that the child's emotional, behavioral, and verbal symptoms improved significantly
.

As shown in the figure above, after 4 weeks of treatment, the children's CARS scale score (the Carlsson's Childhood Autism Rating Scale) showed that the core symptoms of children with autism (ASD) were reduced by about 10%.

As shown in the figure above, after 4 weeks of treatment, the SRS Scale score (social response scale) showed a significant improvement in social deficits in children with autism (ASD), a reduction of about 20%.

As shown in the figure above, after 4 weeks of treatment, the child's SAS Scale score (a scale used to assess the anxiety level of the child's parents) showed that the anxiety of the parents of the child with autism (ASD) was alleviated, reducing it by about 17%, indicating that the improvement of the child's symptoms after the treatment was recognized by
the family.

Result 3: Neurotransmitter levels in children with autism (ASD) were improved

As shown in the figure above, the levels of serotonin (5-HT, Figure A), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA, Figure B), and dopamine (DA, Figure C) in children with autism (ASD) before and after treatment were reflected before and after treatment
.

【Intestinal flora change analysis】

As shown in the figure above, the differences in the intestinal flora before treatment were recorded between the
trial group (children with autism) and the control group (children with normal development of tics).

As shown in the figure above, the changes in the abundance of intestinal flora (i.

As shown in the figure above, it shows that the abundance of eubacterium is reduced, and there is a close relationship with the improvement of gastrointestinal function in children with autism (ASD) (GSRS-Epigastrointestinal Symptom Assessment Scale); On the other hand, changes in the abundance of eubacterium are closely related
to changes in the level of the important neurotransmitter GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid).

As shown in the figure above, the effect
of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) on various clinical outcomes of autism is revealed.

In summary, the research team believes that Eubacterium is an important regulatory flora for improving symptoms of children with autism (ADS) and intestinal problems through the adjustment of intestinal flora
.

【Research Conclusion】

The important result of this study is to verify that the abundance changes in specific bacteria, namely Eubacterium, especially the fecal-producing eubacterium (Eubacterium coprostanoligenes) in it, can improve symptoms and various intestinal problems in children with autism (ADS), and also make adjusting the intestinal flora a new means
of treating autism.

At present, relevant clinical trials have been launched, and more importantly, it is developed for the characteristics of the intestinal flora of Chinese children, which is more suitable for the physique
of Chinese children than similar products abroad.

【References】

Li N, Chen H, Cheng Y, et al.
Fecal microbiota transplantation relieves gastrointestinal and autism symptoms by improving the gut microbiota in an open-label study[J].
Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 2021: 948.