Developmental vitamin D-deficiency produces autism-relevant behaviours and gut-health associated alterations in a rat model.
Man Kumar TamangAsad AliRenata Nedel PertileXiaoying CuiSuzy AlexanderMarloes Dekker NitertChiara PalmieriDarryl Walter EylesPublished in: Translational psychiatry (2023)
Developmental vitamin D (DVD)-deficiency is an epidemiologically established risk factor for autism. Emerging studies also highlight the involvement of gut microbiome/gut physiology in autism. The current study aims to examine the effect of DVD-deficiency on a broad range of autism-relevant behavioural phenotypes and gut health. Vitamin D deficient rat dams exhibited altered maternal care, DVD-deficient pups showed increased ultrasonic vocalizations and as adolescents, social behaviour impairments and increased repetitive self-grooming behaviour. There were significant impacts of DVD-deficiency on gut health demonstrated by alterations to the microbiome, decreased villi length and increased ileal propionate levels. Overall, our animal model of this epidemiologically validated risk exposure for autism shows an expanded range of autism-related behavioural phenotypes and now alterations in gut microbiome that correlate with social behavioural deficits raising the possibility that DVD-deficiency induced ASD-like behaviours are due to alterations in gut health.
Keyphrases
- autism spectrum disorder
- intellectual disability
- healthcare
- mental health
- public health
- health information
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- health promotion
- physical activity
- traumatic brain injury
- oxidative stress
- high frequency
- young adults
- risk assessment
- high glucose
- body mass index
- human health
- working memory
- drug induced
- weight gain
- quality improvement
- pain management
- social media
- pregnancy outcomes