The importance of our gut microbiota to our health has become increasingly clear recently as more and more studies have been released.

Everything from how we react to fear and negative stimuli to our weight and mental health to our susceptibility to autoimmune disorders like type 1 diabetes and lupus can be impacted.

Using research on animals, a recent study that was published in The Journal of Immunology has discovered a connection between the gut microbiota and the neurodevelopmental disorder autism. However, the researchers claim that our mother’s microbiota has a greater influence on our likelihood of developing autism than does our own.

“The microbiome can shape the developing brain in multiple ways,” John Lukens, lead researcher and PhD student from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, said in a statement.

“The microbiome is really important to the calibration of how the offspring’s immune system is going to respond to an infection or injury or stress.”

Regarding autism, this connection might be related to a specific molecule that the immune system produces called interleukin-17a (also known as IL-17a).

The molecule has already been linked to diseases like psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It has also been demonstrated to play a significant role in preventing infections, particularly fungal infections. Crucially, it can also affect how the brain grows while still within the womb.