The study analyzed metabolic imbalances, immune dysregulation, gastrointestinal dysfunction,
and altered gut microbiome composition, that often affect individuals with autism, and found
implication of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, hormone level elevations, lipid
profile changes, and altered levels of phenolic microbial metabolites. Interestingly, correlations
between specific metabolite profiles and clinical behavior scores were found.
Moreover, a summary of metabolites modestly associated with gastrointestinal dysfunction in
autism that can be transferred via fecal microbial transplant into mice is identified.
These findings support an intriguing connection among metabolism, gastrointestinal physiology
and ASD behaviors and may advance discovery and development of molecular biomarkers for ASD.
Needham BD, Adame MD, Serena G, Rose DR, Preston GM, Conrad MC, Campbell AS, Donabedian
DH, Fasano A, Ashwood P, Mazmanian SK. Plasma and Fecal Metabolite Profiles in Autism
Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 10:S0006-3223(20)31985-5.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.09.025
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