Antibiotics in the first year of life and subsequent neurocognitive outcomes
Open accessAbstract
AIM: There may be a link between disruption to the gut microbiota in early life and later neurocognitive outcomes. We hypothesised that antibiotic use in early life is associated with a detrimental effect on later neurocognitive outcomes. METHODS: Eight hundred and seventy-one European mothers and their children enrolled in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study at birth. Information on antibiotic use during the first year of life and between 12 months and three-and-a-half years of age was gathered via maternal interview. Intelligence test scores and measures of behavioural difficulties were obtained when children were three-and-a-half years, seven years and 11 years of age. RESULTS: Antibiotic use in the first year of life was reported in 70% of the 526 children with antibiotic data assessed at age three-and-a-half years. Those who had received antibiotics had more behavioural difficulties and more symptoms of depression at follow-up. Results were consistent across all standardised psychologist administered tests, as well as parent rated, teacher rated and self-report measures. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates an association between antibiotic use in the first year of life and subsequent neurocognitive outcomes in childhood. If confirmed by further research, these findings could have implications for the use of antibiotics for minor illnesses in infancy.
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In a study of over 800 children, antibiotic use in the first year of life was associated with subsequent diminished neurocognitive outcomes.
“In a study of over 800 children, antibiotic use in the first year of life was associated with subsequent diminished neurocognitive outcomes (411).”
From Signalling cognition: The gut microbiota and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (2023) · cites this paper as [411]
Antibiotics may be related to depression.
“the findings showing that antibiotics may be related to depression [159,168].”
From Biological, Psychological, and Social Determinants of Depression: A Review of Recent Literature (2021) · cites this paper as [168]
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Neurodevelopmental Disorders Associated with Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Children
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“Several mechanisms through which alterations in the GM could impact brain plasticity have been suggested, such as the modulation of gene expression, the synthesis of neuroactive molecules, and the adjustment of microglial activity [83].”
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Therapeutic Potential of the Microbiome in the Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders
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Juvenile Rats Show Altered Gut Microbiota After Exposure to Isoflurane as Neonates
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“21 , a case control study, had a moderate risk of bias score of 5/9.”
Infections, antibiotic treatment and the Microbiome in relation to schizophrenia
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“Antibiotic exposure in infancy was associated with lower overall cognitive and verbal comprehension abilities at 11 years of age, as well as depressive symptoms at 3 years [21,22].”
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Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Major Depression: A New Therapeutic Approach
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“Antibiotic use in the first year of life has been associated with higher parent and teacher-rated symptoms of ADHD at age 11 years (Slykerman et al., 2017).”
Age at first exposure to antibiotics and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood
Slykerman, R. F., Neumann, D., Underwood, L., Hobbs, M. R., & Waldie, K. E. (2023) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-023-06351-5 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
“Our first report on this topic showed an association between antibiotic exposure in the first year of life and detrimental behavioural, emotional, and cognitive outcomes compared with children who received their first antibiotic exposure after 12 months of age (Slykerman et al. 2017).”
BackgroundConnecting the dots: Targeting the microbiome in drug toxicity
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A Gut Feeling: The Importance of the Intestinal Microbiota in Psychiatric Disorders
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Exposure to antibiotics and mental disorders in children: a community-based cross-sectional study
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“Currently, the influences of early life exposure to antibiotics on children’s subsequent mood and behavior have been widely studied and confirmed (Slykerman et al. 2017, 2019; Lavebratt et al. 2019).”
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Gut dysbiosis mediates the association between antibiotic exposure and chronic disease
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“, 2019) or studied indirect links to mood, such as probiotic use (Huang et al., 2016; Jiang et al., 2015; Slykerman et al., 2017; Steenbergen et al., 2015; Tillisch et al., 2013).”
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More than just a number: the gut microbiota and brain function across the extremes of life
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“127 127 However, the risk of children developing ASD was found to be quite mixed, with some studies finding an increase in ASD risk following antibiotic usage in early life, 117,128 whereas others found no association.”
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“To investigate the influence and interactions of microbiota and metabolites on ADHD, we selected differential species and metabolites most strongly correlated with ADHD symptoms.”
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Intestinal microbiota: The hidden gems in the gut?
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“…obesity, (Trasande et al., 2013; Bailey et al., 2014) asthma (Zou et al., 2020), allergies (Metzler et al., 2019), inflammatory bowel disease (Ortqvist et al., 2019), type I diabetes (Candon et al., 2015), and even behavioral difficulties and symptoms of depression (Slykerman et al., 2017).”
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A National Survey of Neonatal Nurses' Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices of Antibiotic Stewardship
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- Authors
- Slykerman, R. F., Thompson, J., Waldie, K. E., Murphy, R., Wall, C., & Mitchell, E. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- Corresponding author
- Slykerman, Rebecca F.
- Venue
- Acta Paediatrica
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-12-12
- Volume
- 106
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 87-94
- ISSN
- 0365-1436 (ISSN-L)
- 0803-5253
- 1651-2227
- OpenAlex
- W2529496979
- Cited by
- 166
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 13.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Acta Paediatrica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ResearchSpace (University of Auckland) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Health Research Council of New Zealand
- Cure Kids
- David and Genevieve Becroft Foundation
- Auckland Medical Research Foundation
- National Heart Foundation of New Zealand
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology › Antibiotic Use and Resistance
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Anesthesia and Neurotoxicity Research
- Keywords
- antibiotic use, infancy, neuropsychological outcomes, intelligence, behavioral problems, depressive symptoms, gut microbiota, early life exposure, child development, birth weight
- MeSH terms
- Anti-Bacterial Agents, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Child Behavior Disorders, Child, Preschool, Cognition, Depression, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Health Surveys, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Intelligence, Intelligence Tests, Male, Retrospective Studies
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