In recent years, numerous studies have highlighted the profound link between our gut microbiota and overall health.
From influencing our mental health and stress responses to shaping our susceptibility to autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, the effects of our gut flora are extensive and far-reaching.
A recent study published in The Journal of Immunology offers fresh insights into the relationship between the microbiome and autism.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes autism as a spectrum of conditions associated with brain development that impact social interaction and communication.
The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that individuals with autism often experience co-occurring conditions such as epilepsy, depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, they may face behavioral challenges, including difficulty sleeping and self-injury. The intellectual abilities of those with autism can vary widely from one person to another.
Recent research suggests that the microbiota of the mother may have a more significant impact on the development of autism in her child than the child’s own microbiome.
“The microbiome plays a crucial role in shaping the developing brain in numerous ways,” said John Lukens, the lead researcher and PhD student at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, in a statement.
“The microbiome is essential in regulating how the offspring’s immune system will react to infections, injuries, or stress,” Lukens explained, underlining the profound influence of the maternal microbiome on early brain development.
What holds the clue between microbiome and autism might be a molecule produced by the immune system called interleukin-17a, or IL-17a.
Research to date has revealed that the cytokine IL-17a plays a significant role in several diseases, including psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also crucial in defending the body against fungal infections. However, recent studies suggest it may also impact brain development in the womb.
In an experiment conducted on mice with varying gut microbiota, one group had bacteria associated with a heightened inflammatory response triggered by IL-17a, while the control group did not.
When IL-17a was artificially suppressed in the pups, both groups initially exhibited neurotypical behavior. However, after the intervention ended and the mice matured naturally, the group with the pro-inflammatory bacteria began to display autism-like traits, including repetitive behaviors.
Subsequently, researchers performed a fecal transplant, transferring the feces from the first group into the second group, thereby introducing the pro-inflammatory gut bacteria. As anticipated, the second group of mice began to exhibit autism-like behaviors as well, further supporting the link between gut bacteria and brain development.
While researchers have only conducted the study on mice, it does provide a foundation for further research that could determine the extent the mother’s gut health contributes to the development of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Lukens discussed the next frontier in translating their research into human applications, emphasizing the need to identify specific features of the microbiome in pregnant women that could be linked to an increased risk of autism. “The crucial task ahead is understanding what we can do to safely and effectively modulate the microbiome in expectant mothers,” Lukens explained.
While inhibiting IL-17a could potentially be a path to preventing autism, Lukens also noted the inherent risks involved. “Pregnancy itself is a delicate time when the body must accept foreign tissue—the developing baby,” he said. “This creates a need for a finely tuned immune regulation to maintain embryonic health, which is why manipulating the immune system during pregnancy is often approached with caution.”
He also pointed out that IL-17a is just one component in a much broader landscape of molecules that deserve further exploration.
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