Gut bacteria can reverse autism related social behaviour in mice

The absence of one specific species of gut bacteria causes social deficits in mice, giving rise to hope of similar effects in humans, US researchers report this past week in the journal Cell. By adding this bacteria species back to the guts of affected mice, the researchers were able to reverse some of their behavioural deficits, which are reminiscent of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in humans. The investigators are now looking to explore the effects of probiotics on neurodevelopmental disorders in future work.