Epigenetik bei der Geburt verknüpft das Mikrobiom mit der neurologischen Entwicklung, möglicherweise Autismus und ADHS – Das Darmmikrobiom eines Säuglings und spezifische epigenetische Veränderungen wurden mit Anzeichen einer Autismus-Spektrum-Störung (ASD) und einer Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) in Verbindung gebracht, als die Kinder drei Jahre alt waren.

Epigenetics at Birth Links Microbiome to Neurodevelopment, Potentially ASD and ADHD

The results of a study headed by researchers at Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, indicate that the gut microbiome and epigenetics are intertwined, and that both contribute to neurodevelopment.

The researchers showed that epigenetic changes present at birth can impact how an infant’s gut microbiome develops during their first year. They also identified specific epigenetic changes and gut microbes that were associated with signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when the children were three years old.

“Certain bacteria seem to offer protection, which is exciting because it suggests there could be ways to support a child’s development through diet or probiotics in the future,” said research lead and gastroenterologist Francis Ka Leung Chan, MD. Chan is co-senior author of the team’s published paper in Cell Press Blue, titled “Epigenome-microbiome interplay in early life associates with infants’ neurodevelopmental outcomes,” in which they stated, “We showed that epigenetic alterations at birth were associated with early-life microbiome development and that they determine the risks of neurodevelopmental consequences in children.”

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://www.cell.com/cell-press-blue/fulltext/S3051-3839(26)00007-1