Gut Bacteria Shared by Children and Their Mothers Associate with Developmental Level and Social Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Yu Chen, Hui Fang, Chunyan Li, Guojun Wu, Ting Xu, Xin Yang, Liping Zhao, Xiaoyan Ke, Chenhong Zhang
Abstract
Gut microbiota may contribute to the pathogenesis and development of autism spectrum disorder. The maternal gut microbiota influences offspring gut microbial structure and composition. However, the relationship between the clinical symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and the gut bacteria shared between children and their mothers is not yet known. In our study, the gut microbiota of children with autism spectrum disorder differed from that of children with typical development, but there were no differences in the gut microbiota of their mothers. More importantly, gut bacteria shared between children with autism spectrum disorder and their mothers were related to developmental disabilities and social deficits. Thus, our study suggests that these shared gut bacteria may play an important role in the development of autism spectrum disorder. This provides a new direction for future studies aiming to explore the role of the gut microbiota in autism spectrum disorder.