Autism gut-brain study

Feeling inspired!! I received a wonderful email from a parent of two children who participated in the study this morning. These kids completed the study with post-study outcomes associated with improvement in gut, anxiety and behavioural symptoms. The parent told me that both kids, after a rocky start to the school term, had received awards only awarded to one student per grade per year. The parents are as proud as punch and give some credit to the study treatments for this achievement (given the improvements they noted). Of course, one example does not provide evidence that the study treatments are effective, we need to analysis the overall study outcomes and see what the data tells us!! But this is motivating and gives me the warm fuzzies!!😁

A 2021 review finds "diverse probiotic supplementation with prebiotics performed better than single strain probiotic supplementation" for children with ASD.

UQ is currently recruiting children with ASD and gut issues for a clinical trial using this very combination (a multi-strain probiotic + prebiotic supplement). If you are interested in your child taking part please contact Leanne Mitchell, Principal Investigator [email protected].

Link to article -

Altering the gut microbiome to potentially modulate behavioral manifestations in autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review There is a potential association between gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and the severity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Given this correlation, th…

New research has found that changes in the gut bacterial composition is associated with changes in social withdrawal behaviours for autistic children. Also decreased diversity of gut bacteria was linked to worsening of inappropriate speech.
Link to article -

The Gut Microbiome in Autism: Study-Site Effects and Longitudinal Analysis of Behavior Change | mSystems Research relating gut microbiome composition to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has produced inconsistent results, indicative of the disorder’s complexity and the need for more sophisticated experimental designs. We address this need by (i) comparing gut microbiome composition between individuals ...

We are still recruiting!!! If you have a child diagnosed with ASD and who has tummy issues💩 please contact me!

New research indicates that children on the spectrum have reduced detoxifying enzymes and pathways in their gut microbiome compared to children without ASD. In turn, reduced detoxification potential was strongly linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria produce most of the chemical energy our cells need to survive.
To read this interesting article please follow the link below -

A quasi-paired cohort strategy reveals the impaired detoxifying function of microbes in the gut of autistic children Growing evidence suggests that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is strongly associated with dysbiosis in the gut microbiome, with the exact mechanisms still unclear. We have proposed a novel analytic strategy—quasi-paired cohort—and applied it to a metagenomic study of the ASD microbiome. By compa...

Did you know...gut issues are 4 times more likely in autistic children/children with autism!!!!

Listen to Leanne Mitchell, the Principal Investigator, talk about autism and the gut microbiome on the Love & Guts podcast....

Love & Guts: Leanne Mitchell | Autism Spectrum Disorders And The Gut Microbiota #182 Leanne is a Microbiome Coach at Microba, an Accredited Practising Dietitian and qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist.  Leanne has a passion for gut health, with a particular interest in the gut-brain interactions in gastrointestinal disorders, mental health and neuro-developmental conditions....

The University of Queensland is recruiting children with autism and gut issues for a gut-brain study....see attached flyer for details!