Many scientific papers reported that an unbalanced gut microbiota could lead to or worsen neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). A dysbiosis may then be observed in the course of development and mark a dysfunction within what is called the gut-brain axis. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate potential evidence of dysbiosis in children and young adults with NDD compared to controls. Using the PRISMA guidelines we systematically reviewed studies that compared the gut microbiota in NDD participants (with an age inferior to thirty) to the gut microbiota of controls, regardless of the data analysis methods used. The MEDLINE, Scopus and PsycINFO databases were searched up to September 2018. 31 studies with a total sample size of 3002 ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and 84 ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) participants were included in this systematic review. Independent data extraction and quality assessment were conducted. The quality of the studies was rated from low to high. Population characterization and experimental methods were highly heterogeneous in terms of the data available, selection of criteria, and dysbiosis measurement. A dysbiosis was reported in 28 studies in terms of either diversity, bacterial composition or metabolome dysfunction. Due to heterogeneity, a quantitative synthesis was not applicable. In this paper, we discuss the different biases to understand the complexity of microbiota and neurodevelopmental disorders to provide leads for future cohort studies looking to answer the questions raised by the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit key body niches.
Keywords: ADHD; ASD; Dysbiosis; Gut-brain axis; Microbiota.
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