The Impacts of Probiotics on Microbiota in Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an umbrella term for several neurodevelopmental disorders, all of which are characterized by deficits in social communication and social interactions, accompanied by restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, and/or activities. Because each patient with ASD exhibits a broad spectrum of communicative and behavioral problems, no therapy has proved effective on its own. Current mainstream interventions for improving ASD patients' communication and social behaviors include psychosocial and educational strategies, speech therapies, behavioral interventions, developmental therapies, and parenting skills training programs. Altered gut microbiota in patients with ASD has been reported, and the use of probiotics to benefit children with ASD investigated in several clinical trials. This review article summarizes the existing literature on gut microbiota in ASD patients, as well as clinical trials using probiotics as an intervention with such patients, and discusses the altered taxa.