Story perspectives

Study Reveals Unique Gut Microbiota in Autistic Individuals

2/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers in Taiwan report autistic individuals have distinct gut microbiota compared with non-autistic individuals and their siblings, noting the cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions.
The Translational Psychiatry study included 239 autistic participants, 102 non-autistic siblings, and 81 unrelated non-autistic individuals.
Autistic participants showed different beta diversity in gut microbiota.
Siblings showed higher alpha diversity.
Anaerostipes abundance correlated with less social impairment.

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Story summary

Researchers in Taiwan report autistic individuals have distinct gut microbiota compared with non-autistic individuals and their siblings, noting the cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions.
The Translational Psychiatry study included 239 autistic participants, 102 non-autistic siblings, and 81 unrelated non-autistic individuals.
Autistic participants showed different beta diversity in gut microbiota.
Siblings showed higher alpha diversity.
Anaerostipes abundance correlated with less social impairment.