Modulation of the microbiota in the therapeutic approach to autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review
International Journal of Development Research
Modulation of the microbiota in the therapeutic approach to autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review
Received 27th March, 2022; Received in revised form 22nd April, 2022; Accepted 20th May, 2022; Published online 22nd June, 2022
Copyright © 2022, Gabriela Achete de Souza et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Most children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have gastrointestinal manifestations. The use of probiotics and prebiotics has gained significant scientific community visibility as possible beneficial interventions in the therapeutic arsenal of ASD. Thus, the objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to assess the effects of microbiota on ASD. MEDLINE-PubMed and EMBASE were used to perform the search and PRISMA guidelines were followed. Seven studies were selected and demonstrated significant improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms using prebiotics. A significant improvement in the severity of autism and gastrointestinal symptoms was observed in children treated with probiotics containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacteria longum. The use of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 was related to improvement in anxiety, externalization, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, especially in younger children. The intervention with B. infantis reduced the frequency of gastrointestinal, behavioral symptoms, and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines.
