News Highlights:
Gut Microbiome in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Recent studies show that Gut Microbiome composition in humans implicates several diseases, including Autism, Crohn’s disease etc.
Key Takeaway:
Gut microbiome, or gut microbiota, are the microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, that live in the digestive tracts of humans. They affect the body from birth and throughout life by controlling the digestion of food, the immune system, the central nervous system and other bodily processes.
Link Between Gut Microbiome and Autism:
- The human microbiome, sometimes called the “forgotten organ”, plays a significant role in various host processes, including growth, development, physiology, immunity, nutrition, and disease.
- The gut microbiome is believed to have a big impact on immune modulation and metabolic activities in the human body.
- Immune modulation refers, among other things, to the efforts of the immune system to ensure its response is proportionate to a threat.
- Some scientists have disputed the significance of the gut microbiome by contending that the microbiome can’t cause Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) and, therefore, its role in the pathophysiology of ASD is limited.
- But research on this topic has shown that even if the gut microbiome doesn’t play a causative role, abnormalities in it can challenge a person with toxic metabolites and keep them from synthesising the metabolites required to produce neurotransmitters involved in cognition, behaviour, mood, and sleep.
- As a result, ‘fixing’ the gut in ASD can reduce the toxic burden, including that which moves through the blood-brain barrier, and/or help complete the necessary neurotransmitter synthesis pathways.
Autism Spectrum Disorder:
- About:
- ASD is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain;
- People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people.
- Researchers are yet to understand the aetiology of ASD fully. However, they are beginning to find that a disorder in the gut-brain axis could have a prominent part.
- Aetiology studies the factors that cause a condition or disease.
- Autism spectrum disorder begins in early childhood and eventually causes social problems — socially, in school and at work.
- Often, children show symptoms of autism within the first year.
- A small number of children appear to develop normally in the first year and then go through a period of regression between 18 and 24 months of age when they develop autism symptoms.
- Causes:
- There are probably many factors that make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental and genetic factors.
- According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), ASD affects one in 100 children.
- Signs and Symptoms:
- People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction and restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests.
- People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.
- These characteristics can make life very challenging.
- It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms.
- Diagnosis:
- Diagnosing ASD can be difficult since there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder.
- Doctors look at the child’s behaviour and development to make a diagnosis.
- ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger.
- By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered reliable. However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until they are much older.
- Some people are not diagnosed until they are adolescents or adults. This delay means that people with ASD might not get the early help they need.
- Treatment:
- Current treatments for ASD seek to reduce symptoms that interfere with daily functioning and quality of life.
- ASD affects each person differently, meaning that people with ASD have unique strengths and challenges and different treatment needs.
- Treatment plans usually involve multiple professionals and are catered to the individual.
Pic Courtesy: Freepik
Content Source: The Hindu