The role of probiotics in children with autism spectrum disorders. human gut metagenome

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological and developmental condition that begins in infancy or earlier and lasts through the individual's lifetime. The mechanisms of ASD are not yet fully understood, and current treatment comprises education and rehabilitation, without significant improvement in the core symptoms. Recent studies suggest that microbiota change in children with ASD after the ingestion of probiotics may improve the balance of microbiota and thus ASD symptoms.This is a prospective controlled trial. A total of 160 children with ASD will be stratified and allocated to placebo and probiotics groups randomized according to the severity of their ASD symptoms. The probiotics group will be given probiotics supplements orally twice a day for 3 months and the control group will be given a placebo at the same amount, in addition to the baseline therapy of education and rehabilitation. All the children will be evaluated systematically by using different scales, questionnaires before, during, and after 3 months' treatment, as well as 3 months after discontinuation. The potential impact of probiotics on immunity and inflammation, metabolism, and metagenome will also be investigated.