---
title: "Fecal Transplants Reduce Symptoms of Autism Long Term"
description: "A new study shows that fecal transplants of healthy gut flora can help reduce the more severe symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder."
date: "2019-04-12"
modified: "2019-04-12"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/fecal-transplants-reduce-symptoms-autism-long-term"
categories:
  - "Health & Medicine"
tags:
  - "health"
  - "medicine"
  - "the digest"
---

# Fecal Transplants Reduce Symptoms of Autism Long Term

![A new study shows that fecal transplants of healthy gut flora can help reduce the more severe symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/fecal-transplants-reduce-symptoms-autism-long-term.png>)
*\<em\>Image: Slon Pics via Pixabay/Tag Hartman-Simkins\</em\>*

## Follow-Up

New research suggests that fecal transplants can reduce the severity of conditions associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) — and that the changes last several years after the transplants.

Back in 2017, Arizona State University conducted a study on children with ASD of varying severity. Now, [research published Tuesday](<https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-42183-0>) in the journal *Scientific Reports* shows that the reduction in ASD symptoms persisted for two years after the fact, [further demonstrating the link](<https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/health/microbiome-brain-behavior-dementia.html>) between the gut microbiome and the brain.

## Drastic Change

In [the original study](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/new-study-supports-the-link-between-autism-and-gut-microbes>), 15 of the 18 children had what was considered severe autism, with difficulty communicating and handling social interactions. Two years after the study, which involved eight weeks of fecal transplants that reintroduced a greater variety of healthy microbial flora into the participants' gastrointestinal tracts, only three participants still fall within the "severe" classification, according to the research.

"We are finding a very strong connection between the microbes that live in our intestines and signals that travel to the brain," Arizona scientist Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown [told *New Atlas*](<https://newatlas.com/fecal-transplants-autism-symptoms-reduction/59278/>). "Two years later, the children are doing even better, which is amazing."

## Early Days

The scientists are now working to design a larger and more thorough clinical trial in hopes of getting their treatment approved for use by the FDA, according to *New Atlas*.

And while the goal isn't to "cure" a condition that [some argue](<https://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/should-autism-be-cured-or-is-curing-offfensive>) doesn't need curing, this study suggests that fecal transplants could someday provide people with a way to help children with specific communicative or social difficulties.

**READ MORE:** [Fecal transplants result in massive long-term reduction in autism symptoms](<https://newatlas.com/fecal-transplants-autism-symptoms-reduction/59278/>) \[*New Atlas*\]

**More on fecal transplants:** *[New Study Supports the Link Between Autism and Gut Microbes](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/new-study-supports-the-link-between-autism-and-gut-microbes>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)