Published on 12, July, 2020
Study aims to discover whether gut microbes play a part in development of the condition
Scientists have induced the hallmarks of autism in mice by giving them faecal transplants from humans with the condition.
The experiments were designed to test whether the communities of gut microbes found in people with autism have a role in their symptoms, an idea that is gaining ground among researchers.
In the study, animals that had faecal transplants from children with autism became less sociable, less vocal and developed repetitive behaviours. In contrast, genetically identical mice that had transplants from people without autism were unaffected by the procedure.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/30/autism-symptoms-replicated-mice-after-faecal-transplants
”Mice that had transplants from children with autism did not wrestle, push and sniff other mice as much as the control group of mice, which had transplants from people without autism. Nor did they produce as many ultrasonic squeaks. And while control mice might bury one or two marbles and then move on, mice with autism-related microbiomes kept going, an indication of repetitive behaviour.”
Poor mice!
Poor mice indeed!! Do you feel that as someone on the spectrum, that you emit less ultrasonic squeaks, compared to NT folk?
On another note:
"In contrast, genetically identical mice that had transplants from people without autism were unaffected by the procedure."
Does that confirm a more discerning palate in ND folk, in that NT seem more accepting of quite literally "eating S**T?"
Well I'm just an oddball with an abi and several other injuries so quite often end up making some strange squeaks!
But you make a very good point on most people eating any old s**t!
You need to look after your gut microbes....
When the researchers dissected the mouse brains, RNA analysis of the two groups revealed differences in splicing—the way DNA’s message is processed before it’s translated into a protein—for 560 genes, including 52 that have been associated with autism.
That’s an intriguing attempt to associate that the products of gut microbes might somehow change autism risk by influencing what forms of proteins are made in the brain....
Who knew!