Gut microbiota and dietary patterns in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

This 2020 study aimed to find out whether an imbalance in the gut microbiota plays a role in the pathophysiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Fecal samples were taken from both children with ADHD and those without (healthy controls). The participants’ dietary patterns were also assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The ADHD patients were found to have a higher abundance and more diverse microbial community in their guts, compared with the healthy control group (according to the Shannon Index and Chao Index). While the relative abundance of Bacteroides coprocola (B. coprocola) was lower in the ADHD group, the relative abundance of Bacteroides uniformis (B. uniformis), Bacteroides ovatus (B. ovatus), and Sutterella stercoricanis (S. stercoricanis) were higher than the control group. S. stercoricanis was significantly associated with the dietary consumption of dairy, nuts/seeds/legumes, ferritin and magnesium. Moreover, both B. ovatus and S. stercoricanis were positively linked with an increase in ADHD symptoms. These findings suggest that the gut microbiome community is connected to dietary patterns as well as vulnerability to ADHD. [NPID: gut microbiota, gut microbiome, gut, GI, gastrointestinal, intestine, diet, nutrition, dietary pattern, bacteria]

Year: 2020

Reference: Wang, L. J., Yang, C. Y., Chou, W. J., Lee, M. J., Chou, M. C., Kuo, H. C., Yeh, Y. M., Lee, S. Y., Huang, L. H., & Li, S. C. (2020). Gut microbiota and dietary patterns in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 29(3), 287–297