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Potential Determinants of Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is a common comorbidity of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and is associated with increased severity of characteristic autism-associated symptoms. However, the underlying biological mechanisms for GI dysfunction symptoms in children with ASD are unknown. This review explores potential explanations for these symptoms including altered enteric microbiota, impaired intestinal permeability, changes in immune homeostasis, and genetic factors such as single nucleotide polymorphisms. It was shown that genetic factors not only influence the development of altered enteric microbiota and impaired intestinal permeability, but also are a strong, independent contributor to GI dysfunction in ASD patients.

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  1. Naomi Bishop and Ashley E. Franks contributed equally as senior author

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia

    Anya E. Shindler, Steve Petrovski, Naomi Bishop & Ashley E. Franks

  2. School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

    Elisa L. Hill-Yardin

  3. PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

    Anne C. Cunningham

  4. Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Ashley E. Franks

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Shindler, A.E., Hill-Yardin, E.L., Petrovski, S. et al. Potential Determinants of Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 7, 182–196 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-019-00187-6

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