Exercise Changes Gut Microbiota: A New Idea to Explain that Exercise Improves Autism

Abstract

AbstractThe effect of exercise interventions on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been demonstrated in many studies, and the discovery of a bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome (GM) and the central nervous system (CNS) has led to the concept of the microbial gut-brain axis (MGBA) and has linked the abnormal GM to a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, autism being one of them. Research on improving the GM through exercise is also starting to come into focus. However, there are currently few studies on exercise intervention in the GM of autism. The purpose of this review was to find evidence to explore the possible potential effects of exercise to improve the behavior of individuals with autism in the MGBA in this treatment, as well as the potential of GM as an exercise treatment for autism. We will explore (1) changes in GM components of ASD and their relationship to the pathophysiology of ASD; (2) the relationship between exercise and changes in GM components, and (3) the effect of exercise on GM in CNS disorders. Ultimately, we concluded that Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Bacteroides, and Blautia may be potential effectors through the MGBA network during exercise to ameliorate ASD targeting microbiotas. They deserve high attention in the follow-up studies.