Impact of psychostimulants on microbiota and short-chain fatty acids alterations in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Researchers compared gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels among children aged 6 to 12 with ADHD, both unmedicated and on psychostimulant medication, versus healthy controls.
How was it studied?
Fecal samples from 30 children (10 unmedicated ADHD, 10 medicated ADHD, 10 healthy controls) underwent 16S rRNA sequencing and targeted metabolomics to profile bacterial taxa and SCFA concentrations.
What did they find?
Unmedicated ADHD children had lower levels of Tyzzerella, Prevotellaceae, and Coriobacteriaceae than controls, and propionic acid was negatively associated with ADHD symptom severity. Medicated ADHD children showed lower microbial diversity, distinct taxa, and lower SCFA levels than unmedicated children.
Why it matters
The findings point to gut microbiota and SCFAs, particularly propionic acid, as possible biomarkers linked to ADHD symptoms and suggest gut health monitoring could inform future ADHD management.