Abstract
BackgroundRecent researches highlighted the significant role of the gut-brain axis and gut microbiota in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurobehavioral developmental disorder characterized by a variety of neuropsychiatric and gastrointestinal symptoms, suggesting that alterations in the gut microbiota may correlate with the severity of ASD symptoms. Therefore, this study was designed to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of probiotic interventions in ameliorating behavioral symptoms in individuals with ASD. MethodsThis study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. A comprehensive literature search was performed across multiple databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up until June 2024. Inclusion criteria encompassed published randomized clinical trials (RCTs), focusing on probiotic interventions and evaluating outcomes related to ASD behavior symptoms. The study utilized Cochrane's Risk of Bias 2 for bias assessment and applied random effect models with inverse variance method for statistical analysis, also addressing publication bias and conducting subgroup analyses through Begg's and Egger's tests to explore the effects of various factors on the outcomes. ResultsOur meta-analysis, which looked at eight studies with a total of 318 samples from ASD patients aged 1.5–20 years, showed that the probiotic intervention group had significantly better behavioral symptoms compared to the control group. This was shown by a pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) of −0.38 (95% CI: 0.58 to −0.18, p < 0.01). Subgroup analyses revealed significant findings across a variety of factors: studies conducted in the European region showed a notable improvement with an SMD of −0.44 (95%CI: 0.72 to −0.15); interventions lasting longer than three months exhibited a significant improvement with an SMD of −0.43 (95%CI: 0.65 to −0.21); and studies focusing on both participants under and greater than 10 years found significant benefits with an SMDs of −0.37 and −0.40, respectively (95%CI: 0.65 to −0.09, and 95%CI: 0.69 to −0.11, respectively). Moreover, both multi-strain probiotics and single-strain interventions showed an overall significant improvement with a SMD of −0.53 (95%CI: 0.85 to −0.22) and −0.28 (95%CI: 0.54 to −0.02), respectively. Also, the analysis confirmed the low likelihood of publication bias and the robustness of these findings. ConclusionOur study highlighted the significant improvement in ASD behavioral symptoms through probiotic supplementation. The need for personalized treatment approaches and further research to confirm efficacy and safety of probiotics in ASD management is emphasized.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
