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Cited by 131Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchGut microbiota and healthChild Nutrition and Feeding Issues

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 96 of the 96 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Autism: Metabolism, Mitochondria, and the Microbiome

Open access
Macfabe, Derrick·2013·Global Advances in Health and Medicine
DOI 10.7453/gahmj.2013.089PMC PMC3865378
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Abstract

New approaches are needed to examine the diverse symptoms and comorbidities of the growing family of neurodevelopmental disorders known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD originally was thought to be a static, inheritable neurodevelopmental disorder, and our understanding of it is undergoing a major shift. It is emerging as a dynamic system of metabolic and immune anomalies involving many organ systems, including the brain, and environmental exposure. The initial detailed observation and inquiry of patients with ASD and related conditions and the histories of their care-givers and families have been invaluable. How gastrointestinal (GI) factors are related to ASD is not yet clear. Nevertheless, many patients with ASD have a history of previous antibiotic exposure or hospitalization, GI symptoms, abnormal food cravings, and unique intestinal bacterial populations, which have been proposed to relate to variable symptom severity. In addition to traditional scientific inquiry, detailed clinical observation and recording of exacerbations, remissions, and comorbidities are needed. This article reviews the role that enteric short-chain fatty acids, particularly propionic (also called propanoic) acid, produced from ASD-associated GI bacteria, may play in the etiology of some forms of ASD. Human populations that are partial metabolizers of propionic acid are more common than previously thought. The results from pre-clinical laboratory studies show that propionic acid-treated rats display ASD-like repetitive, perseverative, and antisocial behaviors and seizure. Neurochemical changes, consistent and predictive with findings in ASD patients, including neuroinflammation, increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, glutathione depletion, and altered phospholipid/acylcarnitine profiles, have been observed. Propionic acid has bioactive effects on (1) neurotransmitter systems, (2) intracellular acidification and calcium release, (3) fatty acid metabolism, (4) gap junction gating, (5) immune function, and (6) alteration of gene expression that warrant further exploration. Traditional scientific experimentation is needed to verify the hypothesis that enteric short-chain fatty acids may be a potential environmental trigger in some forms of ASD. Novel collaborative developments in systems biology, particularly examining the role of the micro-biome and its effects on host metabolism, immune and mitochondrial function, and gene expression, hold great promise in ASD.

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. MacFabe DF, 2012, Microb Ecol Health Dis., 23, 19260
  2. Zarate G, 2004, Methods Mol Biol., 268, 423
  3. Conn AR, 1983, Am J Physiol, 245, E253
  4. Frick LR, 2013, Clin Dev Immunol., 608654
  5. Gottschall E, 1994, Breaking the vicious cycle: intestinal health through diet.
  6. Diamond J, 1997, Guns, germs, and steel.

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Metadata

Authors
Macfabe, D.
Affiliations
Western University (CA)
Corresponding author
Macfabe, Derrick
Venue
Global Advances in Health and Medicine
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2013-11
Volume
2
Issue
6
Pages
52-66
ISSN
  • 2164-9561 (ISSN-L)
  • 2164-957X
DOI
10.7453/gahmj.2013.089
PMC
PMC3865378
OpenAlex
W1970972871
Cited by
131
References
96
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 1
FWCI
5.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Global Advances in Health and Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Autism Research Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, gut microbiota, propionic acid, short-chain fatty acids, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, glutathione depletion, acylcarnitines, phospholipids, neurodevelopmental disorders, environmental triggers, antibiotic exposure, gastrointestinal symptoms, neurobehavioral phenotype, systems biology

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