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Research paper

Low Relative Abundances of the Mucolytic Bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium spp. in Feces of Children with Autism

Foundational ASD-microbiome paper. qPCR showed lower relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium in children with autism vs controls. Authors cautioned about interpretation because mucolytic alternatives exist.

Indexed context

Wang L, et al.

akkermansiaasd-microbiomegut-brain

Markdown path

content/research/papers/2011-wang-akkermansia-asd.md

Findings

Foundational ASD-microbiome paper. qPCR showed lower relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium in children with autism vs controls. Authors cautioned about interpretation because mucolytic alternatives exist.

Why it may matter for Levi

The direction of the ASD-Akkermansia association is lower abundance, not higher. Levi's lab result of Akkermansia overabundance is therefore not consistent with the main ASD microbiome literature and does not support elevating the gut-microbiome-driver hypothesis.

Paper text

Low Relative Abundances of the Mucolytic Bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium spp. in Feces of Children with Autism

Wang L, et al. — Applied and Environmental Microbiology (2011). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3187122/

Findings summary

Foundational ASD-microbiome paper. qPCR showed lower relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium in children with autism vs controls. Authors cautioned about interpretation because mucolytic alternatives exist.

Relevance to Levi

The direction of the ASD-Akkermansia association is lower abundance, not higher. Levi's lab result of Akkermansia overabundance is therefore not consistent with the main ASD microbiome literature and does not support elevating the gut-microbiome-driver hypothesis.

Provenance

  • Ingested 2026-04-16 as part of the batch literature pass supporting the Root Cause Theories, diagnostics, and treatments workspaces.
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