Interactions between the Intestinal Microenvironment and Neurodevelopment in Children: Current Evidence and Future Directions

Abstract

Neurodevelopmental disorders in children are increasing as a public health issue in the world. Over the past few years, the contribution of intestinal microenvironment to neurodevelopment outcomes has become the focus of growing interest. Recent findings point to the fact that the gut and the nervous system are bidirectionally communicating at an early age, and this is the genesis of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. This review is a summary of the existing information on the role of changes in the intestinal microenvironment in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders in children and the underlying biological mechanisms of immune regulation, microbial metabolite signaling, neuroinflammation, and neural pathway interaction. It also addresses the progress in clinical assessment tools, diagnostic signs, and specific intervention techniques- such as dietary adjustment, microbiota-based therapy, and combined behavioral therapies. Lastly, the review provides future research priorities, including the necessity to explore further the mechanistic aspects of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, develop therapeutic tools with a lot of precision, and increase collaborative efforts among multidisciplinary teams to facilitate innovative approaches to preventive and therapeutic interventions in the medical field.

Keywords: Gut Microbiota; Children; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis; Probiotics; Immune Dysregulation; Dysbiosis.