A new study by the University of Queensland is challenging the growing popular belief that the gut microbiome drives autism.
The new Australian collaborative Autism CRC study, led by Mater Research and The University of Queensland, studied genetic material from stool samples of autistic children with lead author Chloe Yap saying that “while it’s a popular idea that the microbiome affects our behaviour, our findings flip that causality on its’ head”.
Brisbane woman Trudy Bartlett, who is autistic says that the findings will help autistic people seeking help avoid potentially costly and time consuming treatments which can include experimental use of microbiome based interventions such as faecal microbiota transplants.