Autism in NZ: Ground-breaking trial eyes ‘bug transfers’ for people’s gut problems

Kiwi researchers hope to offer a new way to ease distressing stomach problems that many people with autism suffer by transferring gut bugs from others.

Kiwi researchers hope to offer a new way to ease distressing stomach problems that many people with autism suffer - by transferring gut bugs from others.

So-called “microbiome transfers” - when gut bacteria is taken from healthy donors - have emerged as a promising approach to treat a wide range of conditions, as scientists have learned more about the communities of beneficial bugs that live within each of us.

Now, in a ground-breaking new trial, University of Auckland researchers want to see if these might alleviate gut problems thought to be experienced by nearly half of New Zealand’s 90,000 autistic people.

Just why that is remains unclear, with studies having explored links from everything from diet to stress and anxiety.

In the trial, designed in collaboration with advocacy groups Altogether Autism and Autism New Zealand, around 50 young autistic people will receive the microbiome treatment, with the same number given a placebo.

The participants - who have been earlier screened to confirm they have stomach problems affecting their daily activities, such as diarrhoea - would then be followed for six months and assessed to see whether their symptoms ease.

If the microbiome transfer was found to be helpful, it will be offered to the participants who received the placebo.

Liggins Institute lead investigator Professor Wayne Cutfield said the study was informed by work that began 15 years ago, exploring the importance of the gut microbiome for a wide range of outcomes.

“However, only now are we at the stage of conducting robust randomised controlled trials in humans,” he said.

“Up until now, our evidence has come from animal trials and associations. So, this is really important and has the potential to be hugely beneficial.”

Liggins was also researching whether microbiome transfer could be useful for people with obesity, obesity-related disorders and anorexia nervosa.

In one 2020 study, the researchers found the approach appeared to help a group of overweight teens living with metabolic syndrome.

Just as in that trial, the research team would take samples from healthy volunteers, process it to enrich for bacteria and then thoroughly enclose the bacteria in capsules.

The donors would then be screened in a similar way to blood donors to ensure there were no harmful viruses or organisms in their stools.

The microbiome bacteria would then be encapsulated in several cases of digestible coating, so they wouldn’t be digested in the mouth or throat, but when they reached the gut.

The capsules would be administered over two days at the university, with medical supervision, before later testing would be carried out later to see if there’d been changes in gut bacteria.

“The study aims to make people’s guts work better,” co-lead investigator Professor Justin O’Sullivan said.

“Having a gut that works well is really important for people, it helps them feel good and healthy overall.”

People can find more about the trial and how to take part here.