Section 3 Gut-Brain Axis

*Prebiotics and Probiotics - Potential Benefits in Nutrition and Health*

in Guanajuato (Mexico). Anales de Pediatría. 2013;**78**:21-26. DOI: 10.1016/j.

[72] Monroy-Torres R, Naves-Sanchez J, Ortega-Garcia JA. Breastfeeding and metabolic indicators in Mexican premature newborns. Revista de Investigación Clínica. 2012;**64**(6 Pt 1):521-528. DOI: 10.1080/03670240802575519

[73] Ortega-Garcia JA, Tellerias L, Ferris-Tortajada J, Boldo E, Campillo-Lopez F, van den Hazel P, et al. Threats, challenges and opportunities for paediatric environmental health in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Anales de Pediatría. 2019;**90**(2):124 e121. DOI:

10.1016/j.anpedi.2018.11.015

Una propuesta para integrar

Nutrición Clínica y Dietética Hospitalaria. 2016;**2**:140-149. DOI:

Hernández-Fuentes AD, Monroy Torres R, Cariño Cortés R, Jiménez Alvarado R. Physicochemical, nutritional and antioxidant

characterization of three vegetables (*Amaranthus hybridus* L., *Chenopodium berlandieri* L., *Portulaca oleracea* L.) as potential sources of phytochemicals and bioactive compounds. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization. 2018;**12**(4):2855. DOI: 10.1007/

10.12873/362monroytorres

[75] Santiago Saenz Y,

s11694-018-9900-7

[74] Monroy-Torres R, Pérez E, Antonio J, Pérez González RM. Evaluación de las prácticas de alimentación y nutrición en una población expuesta a arsénico:

indicadores de exposición nutricional.

anpedi.2012.05.001

**166**

**169**

**Chapter 10**

**Abstract**

Disorder?

Could Gut Modulation through

Probiotic Supplementation Be

Beneficial in Autism Spectrum

*Anne-Judith Waligora-Dupriet and Marie-José Butel*

discuss on the potential interest of the microbiota transfer in ASD.

prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation

**1. The human microbiota**

**1.1 Definition and functions**

**Keywords:** autism spectrum disorder, gut microbiota, dysbiosis, probiotics,

The term microbiota describes the entirety of all bacterial, viral, fungal, protozoal, and archaeal microorganisms living on almost every cutaneous and mucosal surface of the body [1]. The gut microbiota (GM) inhabited by several trillion microorganisms that live in a symbiotic relationship with the host represents the most heavily colonized area of the human body. It is mainly dominated by organisms belonging to four major phyla that together account for more than 90% of the total bacterial population: *Bacteroidetes*, *Firmicutes*, *Proteobacteria*, and *Actinobacteria*, followed by the minor phyla *Fusobacteria* and *Verrucomicrobia*. With a number of microorganisms being around 10 times higher than the number of human cells and a number of genes nearly 150 times greater than the human

Evidence is mounting to a possible link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gut microbiota through the well-known gut-brain axis. Numerous mechanisms have been suggested including bacterial metabolites that could involve in chemokines, antimicrobial peptides, or neuropeptides production. Hence, numerous studies reported dysbiosis in autistic patients. Antibiotic courses are known to more or less improve neurobehavioral symptoms; however, it could lead to side effects. Modulation of the gut microbiota using pro- and/or prebiotics is therefore an appealing way of treatment. Fecal microbiota transfer is suggested to be an alternative new approach that could be promising. The aim of our chapter will be first to briefly review the current data concerning the possible role of the gut microbiota and its mechanisms in ASD and second to review the interest and limits of the pre- and probiotic supplementations in ASD treatment. Lastly, we will

*Rouba El Khatib, Dolla Karam-Sarkis,* 
