Microbiome and ASD/ADHD (Neurodevelopmental)

In this 2020 study, the microbiota present in the gut of individuals with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was extracted and placed in young, male mice. The animals’ behaviors were then analyzed (via a behavioral test), as well as its brain structure and function through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The researchers who conducted this experiment hypothesized that mice given the microbiota of persons with ADHD would be different in brain function and/or structure to mice that receive microbiota of persons without ADHD. The fecal microbiota of mice colonized with ADHD microbiota were distinguishable to that of mice transplanted with control microbiota. Examining the brain there was a reduction in structural integrity of both white and grey matter regions in mice that received ADHD microbiota. White matter integrity was strongly linked with distinct microbiota expression. Furthermore, the MRI indicated decreased connectivity between the right motor and right visual cortices in the mice colonized with ADHD microbiota. These regions are said to be altered in several neurodevelopmental disorders. The open-field test also revealed heightened anxiety in the mice given ADHD microbiota. To summarize these results, a change in microbial composition of the gut may stimulate further alterations in brain structure and function, as well as modifications in animal behavior.