孤独症谱系障碍(autism spectrum disorder, ASD)是一类患病率高且病因复杂的神经发育障碍性疾病,患者主要特征为社会交往与交流障碍并表现出兴趣狭窄与重复刻板行为。临床证据表明肠道菌群失衡普遍存在于ASD患者群体中并参与ASD的发病,但其中机制还有待明确。近期研究发现肠道菌群可能间接通过其代谢产物影响ASD的发展。本综述将重点阐述两种肠道菌群代谢物———对甲酚和对乙酚与ASD 之间的相关性及其潜在致病机制,以期发掘肠道菌群在 ASD发病过程中的潜在作用与机理,并为ASD的诊断与治疗提供新思路。

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex etiology, characterized by impairments in social interactions and communications, restricted interests, as well as repetitive and stereotypic behaviors. Clinical evidence has indicated that the gut microbiota in ASD patients varies from that in healthy individuals and participates in the pathogenesis of ASD. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Recent studies have identified that the gut microbiota may indirectly contribute to the development of ASD through its metabolites. This review summarizes the relevance of two metabolites of gut microbiota, p-cresol and 4-ethylphenol, to ASD, along with their underlying pathogenic mechanisms. The aim is to explore the potential role of gut microbiota in ASD pathogenesis, providing new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of ASD.