Gut-Brain-Immune Connections in Autism and Schizophrenia

There is striking immune dysregulation in the brains of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia subjects. Large subsets of these patients also display gastrointestinal (GI) tract symptoms, and the composition of intestinal bacteria in ASD children is altered compared to controls. I will discuss connections between GI symptoms, intestinal bacteria, immune dysregulation and abnormal behavior, including findings that probiotic therapy corrects both GI defects and ASD-like behaviors.