ArticleBMC microbiology2024
The associations between gut microbiota and fecal metabolites with intelligence quotient in preschoolers.
Article in BMC microbiology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Early Gut Microbiota and Neurodevelopmental Trajectories: Implications for Pediatric Neuropsychiatric Vulnerability-A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2026Review
- Characteristics of gut microbiota in children with language developmental delay.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe awareness of the association between the gut microbiota and human intelligence levels is increasing, but the findings are inconsistent. Furthermore, few research have explored the potential role of gut microbial metabolites in this association. This study aimed to investigate the associations of the gut microbiota and fecal metabolome with intelligence quotient (IQ) in preschoolers.
methodsThe 16 S rRNA sequencing and widely targeted metabolomics were applied to analyze the gut microbiota and fecal metabolites of 150 children aged 3-6 years. The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) was used to assess the cognitive competence.
resultsThe observed species index, gut microbiome health index, and microbial dysbiosis index presented significant differences between children with full-scale IQ (FSIQ) below the borderline (G1) and those with average or above-average (all P < 0.05). The abundance of Acinetobacter, Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Prevotella_9, Subdoligranulum, Collinsella, Dialister, Holdemanella, and Methanobrevibacter was significantly associated with preschooler's WPPSI-IV scores (P < 0.05). In all, 87 differential metabolites were identified, mainly including amino acid and its metabolites, fatty acyl, and benzene and substituted derivatives. The differential fecal metabolites carnitine C20:1-OH, 4-hydroxydebrisoquine, pantothenol, creatine, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) dodecanamide, FFA(20:5), zerumbone, (R)-(-)-2-phenylpropionic acid, M-toluene acetic acid, trans-cinnamaldehyde, isonicotinic acid, val-arg, traumatin, and 3-methyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde were significantly associated with the preschooler's WPPSI-IV scores (P < 0.05). The combination of Acinetobacter, Isonicotinic acid, and 3-methyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehydenine may demonstrate increased discriminatory power for preschoolers in G1.
conclusionThis study reveals a potential association between gut microbiome and metabolites with IQ in preschoolers, providing new directions for future research and practical applications. However, due to limitations such as the small sample size, unclear causality, and the complexity of metabolites, more validation studies are still needed to further elucidate the mechanisms and stability of these associations.
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