Research on Probiotics for Autism Spectrum Disorder (Premium)
More than thirty years ago, pioneering practitioners like Drs. Sidney Baker, William Crook, William Shaw, Doris Rapp, William Philpott, and Bernard Rimland proposed that a leaky gut or intestinal imbalances could cause brain inflammation resulting in symptoms of autism and ADHD, among other conditions. Research now confirms that symptoms of several neurological disorders are linked to gut health.
Emerging treatments to strengthen the intestinal tract lining or balance gut bacteria are being studied with exciting results. Approaches include vagus nerve stimulation, fecal transplant, prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary changes. This Latitudes.org article focuses on the latest research for autism and a few select probiotics.
The probiotic Lactobacillus Reuteri (L reuteri was shown to be effective in reversing social deficits in laboratory mice.
Yes, the study used mice, but nevertheless the findings were very encouraging, and the studies with humans ensued. The latest study from 2023, the initial research from 2019, and follow-up information is included in this report.
L reuteri is included in combination probiotic products, such as in VSL3, which specialists in gastroenterology often recommend for improving gut health. It is also readily available as a single probiotic product and is added to some commercial yogurts.
It’s important to understand that L reuteri is not a single strain. Several strains that are identified by number (i.e., DSM 17938) have proven beneficial for improving intestinal disorders. L reuteri DSM 17938 is most commonly used with children. (Click for example of product with both of these strains.) Note that L reuteri is also not the only probiotic that may be beneficial.
Can autism be treated with a simple microbial-based therapy?
NEW STUDY: The latest study on this subject was released in December 2023 by
The authors offer these summary points related to their study:
- L. reuteri (6475 + 17938) improves social functioning in children with autism
- L reuteri does not improve overall autism severity or repetitive behaviors
- L reuteri does not significantly alter microbiome composition or immune profile
- Only the 6475 strain reversed the social deficits in a mouse model for autism
Read the full PDF article here. Details on this clinical trial
Details on the mouse study
Research article: “Mechanisms Underlying Microbial-Mediated Changes in Social Behavior in Mouse Models of Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Read it here.
An interview about the study:
Texas Medical Center senior writer Alexandra Becker discussed the study on mice with the researchers from Baylor College of Medicine. In the study, L reuteri improved social deficit in mice—one of three major symptoms of autism. Repetitive behavior and language impairment were not included in the study.
Here’s an excerpt from the interview:
Dr Costa-Mattioli: “The dream of this unconventional approach is that we would be using this or a similar microbial-based treatment (for humans). This particular bacterium, for instance, is considered safe in people and it was already given to infants to treat colic. There are no secondary effects and there is no toxicity.
“It is non-invasive and, perhaps, could someday just be added to yogurt—or taken in a pill form or, perhaps, with water. It is still extremely early to envision this, but if this were to be true, I think not only will we have to change the way we think about the disease, but also new treatments. Because you’re treating the brain through the gut, which, a few years ago, was sort of unthinkable. But now, it might become a reality.”
More on L. reuteri, from Autism Speaks
In a featured article on the website AutismSpeaks.org, the findings on L reuteri for autism symptoms are discussed, and research sponsored by Autism Speaks is also addressed. The physicians interviewed include gastroenterologist Dr Kent Williams, who practices it Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, Ohio) and developmental pediatrician Dr Paul Wang, Autism Speaks’ head of medical research. Dr. Williams is a co-investigator on a major Autism Speaks-funded study investigating the role that the microbiome plays in autism-related gastrointestinal issues and behavioral symptoms.
Excerpts:
Dr. Williams:
The new mouse study goes further in exploring a possible explanation of how changes in bacteria influence brain development and function. For instance, the researchers showed that restoring levels of the “good” bacterium Lactobacillus reuteri resulted in higher levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with social behavior. It also improved signs of brain plasticity – the brain’s ability to form new connections that foster learning.
Dr. Williams, can you tell us about the Autism Speaks-supported study on the microbiome’s role in autism and how it relates to the Baylor study?
Dr. Williams: We are exploring whether we can identify a distinctive microbiome in children with autism, with particular interest in children with autism who also suffer from constipation and/or abdominal pain. Preliminary studies . . . ,indicate that the microbiome differs between children with autism and those not affected by the condition. Now we’re recruiting a larger number of children to confirm these findings. We’re also recruiting children without GI symptoms.
Overall, we’re hoping to better define and compare the microbiome between four groups of children: Those with autism and GI complaints, those with autism but no GI complaints, those with GI complaints but not autism, and finally children who have neither condition. We hope these studies will help us identify GI problems in children with autism – particularly those who don’t have the verbal skills to communicate their pain. We likewise hope that these studies will foster the development of new GI therapies that ease the anxiety and disruptive behaviors that commonly occur in children with autism – behaviors that may stem from microbiome.
A research summary: “Overall rebalancing of gut microbiota is key to autism intervention”
This 2022 journal article reviews the status of research on probiotics for autism and summarizes the findings. This section below, taken from the study conclusion, includes mention of additional select probiotics that showed promise for autism.
This review summarizes therapeutic interventions for autism spectrum disorder based on gut microbiome, including dietary therapy, antibiotic therapy, probiotic and prebiotic intervention, and microbial transfer therapy.
Researchers: We believe that there may be some probiotics that can specifically improve the different behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Future studies of single probiotic interventions should focus on the mechanisms with which the corresponding behavioral symptoms are influenced.
Here’s an excerpt on single strains of probiotics for symptoms of autism:
“By randomly giving 75 newborn infants L. rhamnosus GG (LGG) or placebo for 6 months, they found that after 13 years, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or Asperger syndrome (AS) was diagnosed in 6/35 (17.1%) children in the placebo and none in the probiotic group. It can be seen that LGG plays an important role in the development of children’s attention. Recently, Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 has also been proved to be effective in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) intervention. Both cohort research found that taking Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 could reduce the scores of ASD children on the social responsiveness scale and clinical global impressions scale. In other words, Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 can improve the irritability, anxiety, hyperactivity, cognition, and communication behavior of ASD children.
“In the study of mice, researchers found that L. reuteri may be of great significance in improving the social behavior of ASD, while Bacteroides fragilis is of great significance in improving anxiety.”
Read the full journal article here
Do you have research information or personal experiences to share on this topic? Please drop a note and let us know so we can follow up and share your insights. (Write to editor@latitudes.org)
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