Mother’s gut microbes could be linked to autismlike disorders in children

Abstract

In a pair of papers that could provide insight into the mechanisms behind autism, researchers report that the presence of certain bacteria in the guts of pregnant mice promotes abnormal brain development in their offspring. These affected animals display behaviors that resemble those seen in people with autism spectrum disorders. Neuroscientists have long noticed a correlation between viral infections in pregnant women and an increased likelihood their children will develop autism, schizophrenia, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Scientists have replicated this connection in mice. Scientists can simulate a viral infection in pregnant mice by injecting the animals with a synthetic double-stranded RNA called poly(I:C), which resembles the genetic material of some viruses. The offspring of mice receiving poly(I:C) exhibit abnormal social and repetitive behaviors, such as ignoring new cage mates and repeatedly digging. Gloria B. Choi of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Jun R. Huh of the University of Massachusetts