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Fecal Transplant Improves Autism Symptoms

posted by on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:02PM   
from the available-in-3-delicious-flavors dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

While many people are aware of the behavioural symptoms associated with autism, probably not so many realize that autistics often also have gastrointestinal problems. With that in mind, scientists at the University of Arizona recently conducted a study in which a group of 18 autistic children received fecal transplants from donors with healthy gastrointestinal systems. Not only did the procedure help to "rebalance" their gut flora, but it also improved their behaviour.

First of all, a fecal transplant is just what it sounds like. Feces from one person are screened for disease-causing organisms, and then introduced into the recipient's digestive tract. In this case, the recipients first took antibiotics for two weeks, to wipe out their existing gut flora. They then received the fecal transplant initially in a high-dose liquid form, after which it was delivered in a lower-dose powder mixed into smoothies.

Of all the possible ways I could imagine to treat autism, that was not one of them...

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Original Submission

• Re:No shit? (Score: 5, Interesting) by dyingtolive on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:12PM

  by dyingtolive (952) on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:12PM (#458599)

  I read that with a shit eating grin. Beats taking the piss though.

  Seriously though, something I read some time ago jumps to mind.

  https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/fake-feces-to-treat-deadly-disease-scientists-find-they-can-just-make-sht-up/ [scientificamerican.com]

  The researchers created fake feces, aptly named RePOOPulate, after careful examination of bacterial colonies grown from the stool of healthy volunteers. Once the right ratio of species was determined, 33 different bacteria were grown in a robotic intestine simulator affectionately called Robo-gut to create a 'super-probiotic' stool substitute. According to the scientists, the bacterial mixture is much more palatable than what it mimics, and smells significantly better. Two patients treated with RePOOPulate showed marked improvement after three days, remaining C. difficile-free months after treatment. Tests of their intestinal flora showed that the fake crap successfully introduced beneficial bacteria to the patients' guts.

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  Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!

  Parent

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