Recent research highlights the growing importance of gut microbiota in health, linking it to conditions like obesity, mental health, and autoimmune diseases. A new animal study published in The Journal of Immunology suggests that a mother’s gut microbiota may influence the likelihood of autism in her offspring more than the child’s own. The key player appears to be a molecule called IL-17a, which affects brain development in the womb.

In experiments with mice, those exposed to inflammatory microbiota through their mothers developed autism-like behaviors—an effect reversed when IL-17a was suppressed. Fecal transplants confirmed the microbiota’s role. While still early, this research suggests that maternal gut health could play a role in neurodevelopmental disorders like autism in humans.