Research is Still Needed in Autism Community

Autism Affects 1 in 5 Children

Autism is a disease that affects one in five children between the ages of 3-17, and despite the abundance of research over the last several years, researchers have very little understanding of what actually causes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Furthermore, the high rate of cases has led many to wonder whether or not the increase is due to underlying medical conditions that are also increasing, or whether the rate of diagnoses is simply increasing. Regardless, with very little hope in the way of pharmaceutical intervention, doctors are at a lack to know how to help.

What Factors Researchers Understand So Far

Brain Abnormalities in Autism 

What researchers do understand about the prevalence of autism is that it is connected to brain abnormalities within the child, which can be linked to certain factors, such as exposure to pesticides or drugs while the baby is in utero, or if the parents are older than 35. Anyone of these factors can affect the baby’s genetic coding and trigger latent autism, but an overall understanding of ASD remains a mystery.

Relationship Between Gur bacteria and Autism Symptoms 

One factor that has captured the attention of researchers is the relationship between gut bacteria and autism symptoms. The gut has long been called the “brain of the body,” balancing Ph levels and hormones, as well as impacting metabolism, immune system, and digestive functions. In addition, the viral makeup of the stomach has been linked to numerous neurological conditions as well. If the bacteria in the stomach is out of balance, then the symptoms that are consistent with ASD diagnoses may be regulated as well.

Fecal Microbiota Transplant Experimental Phase

Introducing Good Bacteria into the Body

In order to accomplish this, a process called Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) is currently in the experimental phase. During FMT, a donor’s stool sample is analyzed for compatibility and amount of a healthy gut bacteria known as Lactobacillus reuteri; if both are positive, a small amount of fecal matter is mixed with saline solution and introduced into the colon of the ASD victim through an enema or other procedure.

Obesity Increases Bad Bacteria

Recent research supports this experiment. Obesity has long been understood to be a factor in producing ASD symptoms, and obesity has also been linked to increased rates of harmful stomach bacteria. A study out of Baylor University found that a low level of Lactobacillus reuteri produced autism-like symptoms in mice, and although that study was mainly confined to the laboratory, small test groups of children with ASD have been found to be promising.

Study of 18 Autistic Children

Reduction in Autism Symptoms

During one such study, 18 autistic children were given a fecal transplant using FMT which produced a 25% reduction in autism symptoms that were associated with developmental learning, such as social behavior, language, and repetitive actions. On average, their developmental age increased an average of 1.4 years, and parents of these children reported that they had more energy (though not as hyperactive as before) and were less irritable to the outside world. Furthermore, these changes were permanent, meaning there were no relapses after a certain period of time post-FMT.

The Researchers

The Stomach is the Key

Count James Adams, an autism researcher and co-author of the Baylor study, among those who believe that understanding the stomach is the key to alleviating symptoms of ASD. “Most people have about a thousand different species of bacteria in their gut, mostly beneficial. In previous studies, we found kids with autism were missing several hundred of those species.” While acknowledging that many autistic children are prescribed several rounds of antibiotics in the first few years of life, possibly providing some of the reason for the lack of bacteria, Adams continues by pointing out that a successful FMT surgery has the ability to replenish those essential bacteria that ASD sufferers are missing.

Establishing a Microbiome Baseline

Working with Ann Gregory, a graduate student of microbiology at Ohio State, Adams and other colleagues conducted a field study of 18 autistic children between the ages of 7-17 and tracked the bacterial development of colons throughout the course of the study. The process involved establishing a but microbiome baseline in each of the children, and then all of them were given a round of antibiotics to clear out the existing gut bacteria and were asked to fast for half a day to further cleanse the colon. Finally, a large amount of fecal matter was transferred from the donor to the child, who were then told to drink smoothies with low-dose powder for the next two months

Discovery

Positive Findings

Near the end, Adams and Gregory discovered that though their microbiomes were similar to those found within the donor’s colons, it was the prevalence of the viruses that also helped stave off symptoms of ASD. Gregory saw a greater than 80% reduction in gastrointestinal symptoms, but more importantly, a drastic increase in neurological conditions as well. In the minds of many researchers on this team, the connection between the gut and symptoms of autism is nearly irrefutable.

Future Plans

Though this study is indeed promising, a larger study needs to be conducted in order to further cement the claims of neurological improvement. Also, a more direct evaluation that doesn’t rely on parental observation and focuses on the cellular makeup of the bacteria will need to be implemented as well. The goal is to understand what types of bacteria and viruses impact ASD more directly, with an eye to understanding the causal link between the gut and other diseases as well. In the future, it may be that instead of medications, a fecal “cocktail” of sorts will be distributed among people with varying diseases. Regardless, the study gives hope to many families who may have assumed that ASD will continue to simply be a way of life. For these researchers, ASD is just another disease that needs proper treatment, and with more funding, that day may be closer than many imagine.