Relationships between Gut Microbiota and Autism Spectrum Disorders: Development and Treatment
Lisa Poupard1, Guylène Page1,2, Vincent Thoreau1,2, Zahyra Kaouah1,2
1Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
2Neurovascular Unit and Cognitive Disorders (NEUVACOD), Pôle Biologie Santé, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
Correspondence to: Lisa Poupard
Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty, University of Poitiers, 6 Rue de la Milétrie, Bât. D1, TSA 51115, 86073 POITIERS Cedex 9, France
E-mail: lisa.poupard@etu.univ-poitiers.fr
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2418-6669
Received: February 15, 2024; Revised: May 31, 2024; Accepted: June 3, 2024; Published online: July 25, 2024.
© The Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology. All rights reserved.

This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Many studies have demonstrated the impact of intestinal microbiota on normal brain development. Moreover, the gut microbiota (GM) is impacted by multiple endogenous and environmental factors that may promote gut dysbiosis (GD). An increasing number of studies are investigating the possible role of the GD in the development of neurological and behavioral disorders. For autism spectrum disorders (ASD), specific intestinal bacterial signatures have been identified, knowing that gastrointestinal symptoms are frequently found in ASD. In this review, the peri and post-natal factors modulating the GM are described and the specific gut bacterial signature of ASD children is detailed. Through bidirectional communication between the GM and the brain, several mechanisms are involved in the development of ASD, such as cytokine-mediated neuroinflammation and decreased production of neuroprotective factors such as short-chain fatty acids by the GM. Imbalance of certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin or gamma-aminobutyric acid could also play a role in these gut-brain interactions. Some studies show that this GD in ASD is partly reversible by treatment with pre- and probiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation with promising results. However, certain limitations have been raised, in particular concerning the short duration of treatment, the small sample sizes and the diversity of protocols. The development of standardized therapeutics acting on GD in large cohort could rescue the gastrointestinal symptoms and behavioral impairments, as well as patient management.
Keywords: Autism spectrum disorders; Gastrointestinal microbiome; Neurodevelopment; Fecal microbiota transplantation

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