Autism and Mom’s Microbiome Could Be Linked

Could the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children be prevented simply by modifying a mother’s diet during pregnancy, or getting her to take probiotics? Studies in a mouse model of autism by University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine scientists have linked the mother’s gut microbiome and maternal immune activation (MIA), with the susceptibility of her offspring to developing ASD. Their results, reported in The Journal of Immunology , suggest that the mother&rsq