Most parents with a child on the spectrum, are told that their child was born with a permanent brain disorder. We, as many of you, may have questioned this, as there was no sign of any issues in the early years. In our case, our son lost skills that he did have when he was younger. We were still told, however, that we must have imagined it, as Autism is from birth, and your son has Autism (yes, I love deep thinking). Note, that this opinion was formed after no direct brain testing. There were no brain scans to find any permanent damage carried out. There were no diagnostic pathology tests to attempt to understand any neurotransmitter imbalance. Just the standard Psychology, OT and Speech assessments were done.
Our brain function is affected by things other than the physical structure. Brain function is influenced by things such as neurotransmitters, inflammation and oxidative stress. The treatment of many brain disorders is with medicines that affect neurotransmitters, and their effect on neurotransmitters are the reason for their success. In autism, it isn’t standard to test for any indication of neurotransmitter imbalance, let alone inflammation, oxidative stress or structural issues.
If a baby is born with a compromised gut ecosystem, and their colon cannot produce certain chemicals, including neurotransmitters, there is a natural workaround. The workaround is breast milk. Breast milk contains many of the nutrients that the baby requires, even in cases whereby the baby doesn’t have the bacteria to produce the nutrients. The baby may develop normally until the introduction of formula, or they are weaned off breast milk. Once they no longer are fed breast milk, the child relies on their colon to produce various nutrients and neurotransmitters (and their precursors), as we all do. If they were unable to repair their gut ecosystem in time for this change, they could start to develop problems.
Similarly, the gut imbalance can occur a little later in their development. The imbalance may often be due to antibiotics. In today’s world, it common for both parents to work. There is, as a result, a need to reduce our children’s number of sick days. We can’t afford to be regularly home, and away from work, looking after our sick children. This tends to mean more antibiotics. We ask for help from our doctors sooner than our parents did. When the imbalance comes later, in a different developmental stage, various symptoms can arise. Often the resulting diagnosis is ADHD if the imbalance occurs around school age.
The gut environment and microbes affect brain development by producing various nutrients and proteins, including neurotransmitters and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, which promotes brain growth and development. Yes the brain can grow and restructure). An association has been shown between the gut and various mental conditions including Autism spectrum disorders, depression and anxiety
[link]. In cases of brain-related disorders, it’s crucial to consider interventions relating to gut health.
When considering gut health for the brain, it’s important to look at all the general gut health principles future posts in this series.
Although there are studies that show certain strains of bacteria produce certain proteins and neurotransmitters, we have to remember that they work in communities. It’s not enough to only promote the chosen few. We need to encourage a diverse community of wanted microbes. One food may require various strains of bacteria to contribute to its’ proper digestion. For example, strain A may break down a fibre partially, allowing strain B to access elements of the food that it would not be able to if strain A wasn’t there to start the process of digestion.
So what does all of this mean? It means that if heal and you look after your gut, you have better health. You will require less nutritional supplements and medicines to improve your health. You will have an enhanced immune system and feel more energetic while feeling calmer and happier.