The role of microbiota in autism spectrum disorder: A bibliometric analysis based on original articles

Synapse and primary cilia dysfunctions in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Avenues to normalize these functions

AIM

An update on the plasticity of the brain networks involved in autism (autism spectrum disorders [ASD]), and the increasing role of their synapses and primary non-motile cilia.

METHODS

Data from PubMed and Google on this subject, published until February 2024, were analyzed.

RESULTS

Structural and functional brain characteristics and genetic particularities involving synapses and cilia that modify neuronal circuits are observed in ASD, such as reduced pruning of dendrites, minicolumnar pathology, or persistence of connections usually doomed to disappear. Proteins involved in synapse functions (such as neuroligins and neurexins), in the postsynaptic architectural scaffolding (such as Shank proteins) or in cilia functions (such as IFT-independent kinesins) are often abnormal. There is an increase in glutaminergic transmission and a decrease in GABA inhibition. ASD may occur in genetic ciliopathies. The means of modulating these specificities, when deemed useful, are described.

INTERPRETATION

The wide range of clinical manifestations of ASD is strongly associated with abnormalities in the morphology, functions, and plasticity of brain networks, involving their synapses and non-motile cilia. Their modulation offers important research perspectives on treatments when needed, especially since brain plasticity persists much later than previously thought. Improved early detection of ASD and additional studies on synapses and primary cilia are needed.

Bipolar disorder and the gut microbiota: a bibliometric analysis

Background

Previous studies have explored the relationship between bipolar disorder and gut microbiota. However, there has been no bibliometric analysis to summarize and analyze these publications. Our objective was to perform a bibliometric analysis to investigate the current status and frontiers of the publications in the field of the association between bipolar disorder and the gut microbiota.

Methods

We retrieved publications concerning the interplay between the gut microbiota and bipolar disorder from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). The analysis was executed using WoSCC's literature analysis tool and VOSviewer 1.6.16.

Results

In total, we identified 177 publications originating from 362 institutions across 39 countries/regions, and these articles were disseminated in 104 different journals. The most productive institutions, authors, countries/regions, and journals were Zhejiang University contributing 18 publications, Shaohua Hu authoring 12 publications, China with 53 publications, and Frontiers in Psychiatry with 11 publications. The first high-cited document was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research in 2017, and authored by Evans. In this article, they found gut microbiome composition was associated with BD and its illness severity, and they concluded that targeting the gut microbiota may be helpful to develop the effective treatment for bipolar disorder. The top 5 keywords with the highest frequency except for bipolar disorder and gut microbiota were as follows: depression, inflammation, probiotic, gut-brain axis, and anxiety.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this is the first bibliometric analysis to explore the publications in the field of the association between bipolar disorder and the gut microbiota. The main research hotspots regarding this field were the characteristics, abundance, and diversity of gut microbiome in bipolar disorder, the role of treatment and gut microbiome in bipolar disorder, microbiome-brain connections in bipolar disorder, and interventions for bipolar disorder based on microbiota composition modification. The number of studies about the association between gut microbiota and bipolar disorder is relatively small, and more studies are needed to expand our understanding the association between gut microbiota and bipolar disorder.

Reply to Ayoub-Charette et al. Lack of Biological Plausibility and Major Methodological Issues Cast Doubt on the Association between Aspartame and Autism. Comment on "Fowler et al. Daily Early-Life Exposures to Diet Soda and Aspartame Are Associated with Autism in Males: A Case-Control Study. Nutrients 2023, 15, 3772"

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the concerns raised by Ayoub-Charette et al [...].

Bibliometric Analysis of Global Trends in Research on Seasonal Variations in Gut Microbiota from 2012 to 2022

Seasons are the important influencing factor for gut microbiota, which in turn affects the ecology and evolution of the host. The seasonal variation in gut microbiota has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers and professionals worldwide. However, studies of seasonal variations in gut microbiota have not been systematically analyzed by bibliometrics or visual analysis. This study is based on 271 publications from 2012 to 2022 in the Web of Science Core Collection database (WOSCC) to analyze hot spots and trends in this field. The collaborations between different countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords were bibliometrically analyzed using Excel, CiteSpace (Version 6.2. R4), and VOSviewer (version 1.6.19) software. The number of publications has been increasing rapidly and shows a general upward trend. China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are the country and institution contributing the most, respectively. The research hotspots and trends mainly include the diversity of gut microbiota communities in different seasons, the relationship between diet and gut microbiota in seasonal changes, and the relationship between gut microbiota and evolutionary adaptation in seasonal changes. This is the first bibliometric and visualization analysis of seasonal variations in gut microbiota, which may advance this field and lay the foundation for future research.

Bibliometric and visual analysis of fecal microbiota transplantation research from 2012 to 2021

BACKGROUND

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an emerging therapy for diseases associated with intestinal flora imbalance that has attracted increasing attention in recent years. This study aims to provide an overview of research trends in the field, and act as a reference point for future scientific research by analyzing the state of current research, identifying hotspots, and potential frontiers of FMT.

METHODS

Articles relating to FMT that were published between the years 2012 and 2021 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and CiteSpace.

RESULTS

A total of 2,403 English language articles relating to FMT research were published over the last ten years. Most of this research was carried out in the United States of America, with Harvard Medical school being the most productive institution. Much of the research was published in the PLoS One journal. Alexander Khoruts was identified as a prominent, productive researcher in the field. Keyword analysis revealed that research hot spots included gut microbiota, Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), and diseases. Burst detection indicated that future research frontiers include clinical practice guidelines and strategies.

CONCLUSION

Our analysis explored hot spots and emerging trends in the FMT field. Indications for use of FMT extended from digestive system diseases to other systemic diseases. Additionally, areas such as risk assessment and control, along with application methods were also a focus of current research. Moreover, research relating to optimization of clinical practice has excellent prospects.