Gut microbiota changes in children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review.

Background: As more animal studies start to disentangle pathways linking the gut microbial ecosystem and neurobehavioral traits, human studies have grown rapidly. Many have since investigated the bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system, specifically on the effects of microbial composition on the brain and development.

Methods: Our review at the initial stage aimed to evaluate literature on gut microbial alterations in pediatric neurobehavioral conditions.