Possible links between gut–microbiota and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders in children and adolescents

Abstract

© 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. An association between gut–microbiota and several neuropsychiatric conditions including autism, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been observed. Despite being the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents worldwide, the etiology and curative approaches to treatment of ADHD remain unclear. There is a probability that gut–microbiota may contribute to ADHD via bidirectional communication between the gut and brain, a system known as the “gut–brain axis”. Although a mechanistic link in the gut–brain axis in ADHD has been proposed, there is still a lack of information about the correlation of the microbiome profile with the mechanisms involved. The objective of this review was to summarize the diversity of the gut–microbiota and taxonomic profiles in children and adolescents with ADHD. In this review, we have provided an overview of the association between ADHD and gut–microbiota. The evidence pertinent to potentially distinctive gut–microbiota in children and adolescents with ADHD is also discussed and compared to that of their non-ADHD peers. Finally, the implications and future directions for investigation into the gut microbiome in ADHD patients are proposed.