Contributions of Artificial Intelligence to Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder whose etiology is not known today, but everything indicates that it is multifactorial. For example, genetic and epigenetic factors seem to be involved in the etiology of ASD. In recent years, there has been an increase in studies on the implications of gut microbiota (GM) on the behavior of children with ASD given that dysbiosis in GM may trigger the onset, development and progression of ASD through the microbiota–gut–brain axis. At the same time, significant progress has occurred in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Methods: The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review of articles using AI to analyze GM in individuals with ASD. In line with the PRISMA model, 12 articles using AI to analyze GM in ASD were selected. Results: Outcomes reveal that the majority of relevant studies on this topic have been conducted in China (33.3%) and Italy (25%), followed by the Netherlands (16.6%), Mexico (16.6%) and South Korea (8.3%). Conclusions: The bacteria Bifidobacterium is the most relevant biomarker with regard to ASD. Although AI provides a very promising approach to data analysis, caution is needed to avoid the over-interpretation of preliminary findings. A first step must be taken to analyze GM in a representative general population and ASD samples in order to obtain a GM standard according to age, sex and country. Thus, more work is required to bridge the gap between AI in mental health research and clinical care in ASD.