Gastrointestinal symptoms and probiotic treatment in a mouse model of an autism risk factor

Abstract

Objective: While autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by language and social deficits, recent studies have highlighted striking dysregulation in the neural, peripheral, and enteric immune systems of autistic individuals. There are also reports that subsets of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display gastrointestinal (GI) abnormalities, including chronic inflammation of the colon, increased intestinal permeability and altered composition of GI microbiota. Moreover, antibiotic treatment and restricted diet are reported to provide behavioral improvements for some ASD children. We use a mouse model of an ASD risk factor, maternal immune activation (MIA), to assess whether offspring, which display core behavioral and neuropathological features of autism, also display ASD-associated GI symptoms. To explore the potential connections between GI problems and the brain and behavior,we test whether postnatal administration of a probiotic influences GI and ASD-related behaviors.