Context: Autism is a developmental disorder with a possible connection between dietary components and triggering or worsening of symptoms. An altered intestinal permeability might allow absorption of incompletely digested peptides (gluten and casein) that could produce opioid-like activity on the brain, causing significant changes in behavior.
Objective: To assess the intestinal permeability and nutritional status of participants with developmental disorders to determine if changes in the intestinal mucosal barrier and/or injury to the intercellular junctions have occurred that might justify application of further dietary modifications.
Design: To assess intestinal permeability, the research team analyzed participants urine under fasting conditions, using gas chromatography to determine chromatographic peaks. To assess nutritional status, the team determined participants heights and weights and performed a bioelectric bioimpedance examination at least 4 hours after their most recent meal. In addition, the team determined food intake using three diet diaries. They asked participants and caregivers to register each food consumed during 2 nonconsecutive weekdays and 1 weekend day.
Setting: The study occurred at the Ribeirao Preto School of Medicine, Sao Paulo University.
Participants: Seven participants aged 9 to 23 years with developmental disorders (the developmental group, DG) completed the study. The research team recruited them through the Association of Friends of the Autistic Persons of Ribeirao Preto in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. The control group (CG) consisted of nonsmoking healthy volunteers in the general population who were similar in age to the experimental group and did not suffer from diseases that potentially could influence nutritional status and intestinal function.
Intervention: To assess intestinal permeability, participants ingested 150 mL of an isosmolar solution of the sugars mannitol (2 g) and lactulose (7.5 g) under fasting conditions and the researchers collected all voided urine over a period of 5 hours.
Outcome Measures: Using chromatographic peaks, the research team quantified the mannitol and lactulose in participants urine by calculating the percentage excreted in relation to the ingested amounts of sugar. This calculation gave them the lactulose-to-mannitol ratio (L/M). To evaluate nutritional status, they used data regarding bioimpedance resistance, heights, and weights to estimate lean mass and body water (in liters). They classified adults and adolescents using the body mass index (BMI). For children (2-10 y), they classified participants height-to-age and weight-to-height ratios. The research team used food intake to examine the macronutrient interval, the mean added sugar consumption, and the quantity of protein, in g/kg weight.
Results: Participants with developmental disorders (n = 7) were more likely to be overweight. Their usual diet revealed a high intake of lipids (%) and proteins (g/kg) (compared to reference values) and a high intake of calories (kcal) and carbohydrates (%) (compared to CG) as well as a high intake of food sources that are important contributors of casein and gluten. The DGs (n = 7) mean mannitol excretion was lower, and their L/M higher than the CGs (n = 7) (P < .05). Their increased L/M may indicate atrophy of the intestinal-mucosa surface and/or injury to the intercellular junctions or the effect of some other abnormality. The small number of participants, however, prevented more complex statistical analysis.
Conclusions: Researchers need to complete additional studies to confirm the existence of abnormalities in autistic individuals intestines and to justify the use of dietary restrictions on gluten and casein to improve the symptoms of autism.
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Dig Dis Sci
January 2025
Provincial-Level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment With Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.
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Methods: Firstly, articles related to the pathogenesis of ALD were retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS) database.
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi
December 2024
School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Ji'nan 250355, China National Key Laboratory of Integration and Innovation of Prescriptions and Modern Traditional Chinese Medicine,Lunan Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. Linyi 273400,China.
This paper explored the protective effect and potential mechanism of Shouhui Tongbian Capsules(SHTB) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rat models. Rats were randomly divided into sham surgery group, model group, low-dose SHTB group(0.2 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), high-dose SHTB group(SHTB g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and an edaravone positive drug group(5.
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December 2024
Anhui University of Chinese Medicine Hefei 230012, China Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Application and Transformation of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Major Pulmonary Diseases Hefei 230031, China Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, Ministry of Education Hefei 230038, China.
This study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which Shegan Mahuang Decoction(SGMH) and its bitter Chinese herbs(BCHs) regulated the lung-gut axis through the bitter taste receptor 14(TAS2R14)/secretory immunoglobulin A(SIgA)/thymic stromal lymphopoietin(TSLP) to intervene in the epithelial cell barrier of cold asthma rats. Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into the following five groups: normal group, model group, dexamethasone group, SGMH group, and BCHs group. A 10% ovalbumin(OVA) solution was used to sensitize the rats via subcutaneous injection on both sides of the abdomen and groin, combined with 2% OVA atomization and cold(2-4 ℃) stimulation to induce a cold asthma model in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLife Sci
January 2025
Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Chunilal Bhawan, 168, Maniktala Main Rd, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India. Electronic address:
Aims: Gut dysbiosis modulates CNS complications and cognitive decline through the gut-brain axis. The study aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in gut dysbiosis-associated cognitive changes and the potential effects of probiotics in high fat-high carbohydrate diet-induced gut dysbiosis-associated neurodegeneration.
Materials And Methods: We used high fat, high-carbohydrate diet (HFHCD) and high-fat diet (HFD) to induce gut dysbiosis-associated neurodegeneration in C57BL/6 mice.
Poult Sci
January 2025
Feedworks Pty Ltd, Romsey, VIC, Australia.
The effectiveness of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) in reduced protein (RP) diets on performance and gut health of broilers under heat stress is largely unknown. A 35-d experiment was conducted using four dietary treatments: a standard protein diet (SP, 22.1 and 20.
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