The microbiome refers to the constellation of enteric bacteria that create an organ system that makes up 80% of our immune system. Scientists are diligently working to understand how xenobacteria and commensual bacteria communicate and interact to influence health and how alterations in populations of bacterial species may alter host health and contribute to chronic disease.

 

The Autism Spectum Disorders are a group of behaviorally defined disorders of primarily unknown etiology. Research groups have started to foucs on understanding why some children with autism have altered enteric species and in turn abnormal microbiome profiles. How these abnormalities influence host metabolism and behaivor are currently unkown.

 

​The goals of this conference are to bring together a world renowned group of experts to present their work on the microbiome in health and disease with a special focus on Autism. Researchers hope to consolidate this information into a formative discussion aimed at designing a clinical trial that can elucidate pathophysiological mechanisms related to the microbiome in Autism and possibly promote new treatment strategies to address core underlying biological alterations through targeted treatment approaches aimed at manipulating the microbiome.

 

Clinicians and researchers alike are invited to attend and take part in this exciting conversation and to learn about how alterations in the microbiome may give rise to autism OR possibly how having autism can give rise to altered microbiome profiles. 

 

PubMed links to the Microbiome and Autism

 

http://www.autismcanada.org/scientificsymposium/

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?linkname=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=21524713