Matching Items (5)
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- All Subjects: Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Creators: Adams, James
Description
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is home to a complex and diverse microbial ecosystem that contributes to health or disease in many aspects. While bacterial species are the majority in the GI tract, their cohabitants, fungal species, should not be forgotten. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often suffer from GI disorders and associated symptoms, implying a role the bacterial and fungal gut microbiota play in maintaining human health. The irregularities in GI symptoms can negatively affect the overall quality of life or even worsen behavioral symptoms the children present. Even with the increase in the availability of next-generation sequencing technologies, the composition and diversities of fungal microbiotas are understudied, especially in the context of ASD. We therefore aimed to investigate the gut mycobiota of 36 neurotypical children and 38 children with ASD. We obtained stool samples from all participants, as well as autism severity and GI symptom scores to help us understand the effect the mycobiome has on these symptoms. By targeting the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and bacterial 16S rRNA V4 regions, we obtained fungal and bacterial amplicon sequences, from which we investigated the diversities, composition, and potential link between two different ecological clades. From fungal amplicon sequencing results, we observed a significant decrease in the observed fungal OTUs in children with ASD, implying a lack of potentially beneficial fungi in ASD subjects. We performed Bray-Curtis principal coordinates analysis and observed significant differences in fungal microbiota composition between the two groups. Taxonomic analysis showed higher relative abundances of Candida , Pichia, Penicillium , and Exophiala in ASD subjects, yet due to a large dispersion of data, the differences were not statistically significant. Interestingly, we observed a bimodal distribution of Candida abundances within children with ASD. Candida's relative abundance was not significantly correlated with GI scores, but children with high Candida relative abundances presented significantly higher Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) scores, suggesting a role of Candida on ASD behavioral symptoms. Regarding the bacterial gut microbiota, we found marginally lower observed OTUs and significantly lower relative abundance of Prevotella in the ASD group, which was consistent with previous studies. Taken together, we demonstrated that autism is closely linked with a distinct gut mycobiota, characterized by a loss of fungal and bacterial diversity and an altered fungal and bacterial composition.
ContributorsPatel, Jigar (Author) / Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa (Thesis director) / Kang, Dae Wook (Committee member) / Adams, James (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The purpose of this project was to develop a new questionnaire that was comprehensive and included symptoms of autism and related disorders. 28 parents of children with autism and two adults with autism were interviewed and asked to fill out the questionnaire and rate their child’s symptoms based on the available scale. From their responses, we were able to edit and improve the questionnaire to make it clearer and more concise. We added new symptoms and improved the descriptions of the symptoms listed. The new version of the questionnaire will be edited after interviewing the same 30 people again. After, it will need to be validated by a large study of around 300 people. The questionnaire will be used in an app format and help parents rate their child’s symptoms during clinical studies of medical treatments.
ContributorsFoote, Sophia (Author) / Adams, James (Thesis director) / Duane, Drake (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
For my thesis I investigated an abnormal gut-derived metabolite of interest identified as 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid (HPHPA) that may serve as a potential biomarker for autism, and help us get a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this disorder. Currently a laboratory test for autism does not exist, posing severe consequences on individuals with autism. In order to gather research on my metabolite of interest and its connection to autism as well as disorders correlated with autism, I analyzed different pieces of scientific literature investigating HPHPA and compiled this data into a literature review.
ContributorsNawaz, Umar (Author) / Adams, James (Thesis director) / Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa (Committee member) / Flynn, Christina (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an intricate neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social functioning and communication, repetitive behavioral patterns, and specialized interests (Olesova et al., 2020; Osredkar et al., 2023). Despite the efforts of modern science, the biological origin of ASD is unknown, and no known biomarker for ASD currently exists (Olesova et al., 2020; Osredkar et al., 2023). Indoxyl sulfate has been identified as a toxin associated with ASD and its related symptomology in addition to a number of other conditions, including chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, and various mood disorders (Cao et al., 2015; Cassani et al., 2015; Karbowska et al., 2020; Zhao et al., 2013). This article will review what is currently known about indoxyl sulfate in relation to ASD and its comorbidities in an attempt to determine the validity of indoxyl sulfate as a potential biomarker for ASD. Articles for the purposes of this review were collected via Google Scholar, PubMed, and the ASU Library using key words such as “indoxyl sulfate,” “Autism,” and “indican,” and chosen based on relevancy. Through this review, indoxyl sulfate was identified as a potential physiological biomarker for a subset of ASD, with additional research required to verify the findings presented. The identification of a biomarker for ASD could change the current methods of testing for ASD, greatly improving our understanding and treatment of the disorder.
ContributorsHill, Zoë (Author) / Adams, James (Thesis director) / Flynn, Christina (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Background: Currently, we do not know the direct cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A correlation between the gut microbiome and ASD may play a key role in normalizing ASD symptoms that plague many around the world. Furthermore, microbiota transfer therapy (MTT) may be the next step toward reducing GI symptoms in people impacted with ASD. The Medical Histories of ASD and NT (Neurotypical) adults may help find further information that could help find causes that contribute to the development of ASD.
Objective: To identify key questions in the Medical History Questionnaire and evaluate differences between the ASD and NT participants.
Results: There are 53 ASD participants and 43 NT participants with mean ages of 23.3 and 25.6 respectively. The mean birth weights of each group remain relatively similar (122.3 vs. 117). A greater number of NT participants were delivered vaginally than ASD participants (72.5% vs. 66%). More ASD participants were born before 40 weeks than NT participants (26.4% vs. 7.5%). NT participants, on average, were breastfed almost two times longer than ASD participants (11.2 months vs. 6.4). ASD participants required more time to be toilet trained for both urine and stool output (3.3 years vs. 2.4 years for urine and 4.3 years vs. 2.7 years for stool output). ASD participants have more food allergies with a higher severity and an equal likelihood of seasonal allergies but with a higher severity. ASD participants mainly reported a major regression at an average age of 19.6 months or an abnormal development from early infancy. Maternal and Paternal Histories are more severe in GI problems, ASD, Delayed Speech, Learning Disabilities, Asthma, Eczema, Seasonal and Food Allergies for ASD participants than NT participants. The most significant finding was the ASD participants’ average age of GI symptoms starting was 3.1 compared to 17.9 for NT participants.
Conclusions and Relevance: There are many factors that may contribute to the development of ASD in early childhood. Further research in a larger sample size may demonstrate more significant differences in ASD and NT populations.
ContributorsKazanchi, Alexander (Author) / Adams, James (Thesis director) / Kirby, Jasmine (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2024-05