Harnessing the Gut Microbiome: To What Extent Can Pre-/Probiotics Alleviate Immune Activation in Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Abstract

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at an increased risk of experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort, which has been linked to dysfunctions in the microbiome–gut–brain axis. The bidirectional communication between gut and brain plays a crucial role in the overall health of individuals, and alterations in the gut microbiome can contribute to immune activation and gut–brain dysfunction in ASD. Despite the limited and controversial results of pre-/probiotic applications in ASD, this review comprehensively maps the association between ASD clinical symptoms and specific bacterial taxa and evaluates the efficacy of pre-/probiotics in modulating microbiota composition, reducing inflammatory biomarkers, alleviating difficulties in GI distress, sleep problems, core and other ASD-associated symptoms, as well as relieving parental concerns, separately, in individuals with ASD. Beyond simply targeting core ASD symptoms, this review highlights the potential of pre-/probiotic supplementations as a strategy to modulate gut homeostasis and immune response, and to delineate the potential mechanisms by which its direct or mediating effects can alleviate gut–brain dysfunction and poor nutritional status in ASD management. Further well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to strengthen the existing evidence and establish optimal protocols for the use of pre-/probiotics in the context of ASD.