Probiotics in Modulating the Gut-Brain Axis in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Bridging Microbiome Science and Artificial Intelligence

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition with rising global prevalence, yet its definitive treatment remains elusive. Emerging evidence increasingly implicates disruption of the microbiota–gut–brain (MGB) axis in ASD pathophysiology, affecting neurodevelopment, immune regulation, and behavioral outcomes through multiple bidirectional communication routes—including neural, immune, and endocrine pathways, as well as microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and tryptophan–kynurenine intermediates. Probiotic interventions have garnered considerable attention as potential modulators of this axis, with systematic reviews and meta-analyses demonstrating significant improvement in ASD behavioral symptoms (standardized mean difference: -۰.۳۸, ۹۵% CI: -۰.۵۸ to -۰.۱۸). Recent randomized controlled trials have further shown that probiotic supplementation is associated with within-group improvements in adaptive functioning and autism-related traits, alongside reductions in inflammatory biomarkers. Concurrently, machine learning approaches are emerging as powerful tools to identify gut microbiome-derived metabolites as potential biomarkers for ASD, with Random Forest Classification models reaching a mean accuracy of ۸۵%, and to integrate multimodal neuroimaging with multi-omics for reproducible microbial–brain biomarker discovery. This review synthesizes current evidence on probiotic modulation of the gut–brain axis in ASD, evaluates clinical and mechanistic findings, explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in microbiome-based prediction and personalized intervention, and outlines a roadmap for integrating microbiome science with AI-driven precision medicine.

کلیدواژه ها:

Autism Spectrum Disorder ، Probiotics ، Gut–Brain Axis ، Microbiome ، Machine Learning ، Precision Medicine