Autism and the gut metabolome: Evidence for altered short-chain fatty acid profiles from a systematic review and meta-analysis

This meta-analysis provides evidence for altered SCFA profiles in ASD, specifically elevated valeric and hexanoic acids and a consistent signal for isobutyric acid, suggesting gut microbial dysbiosis involving distinct metabolic pathways. The significant heterogeneity and sample-source-dependent effects highlight the complexity of the gut-brain axis in ASD and underscore the need for future research with standardized protocols and longitudinal designs to clarify the role of SCFAs.