Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41725847›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in neuroscience2026

Global trends and future perspectives in autism spectrum disorder and gut microbiota research: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis.

Guojun Liu, Linzi Chen, Maosen Guan, Ningkun Xiao

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in neuroscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Guojun LiuInner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Life Health and Bioinformatics, School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China.
Linzi ChenDepartment of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Maosen GuanCentral Plains Wushu Research Institute of Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
Ningkun XiaoDepartment of Immunochemistry, Institution of Chemical Engineering, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition. Increasing studies examine whether gut microbiota alterations and the gut-brain axis are linked to ASD-relevant phenotypes. As the literature expands rapidly, a quantitative mapping is needed to clarify influential work and evolving themes. Objective: To map global research on ASD and the gut microbiota, identify major contributors and knowledge bases, and characterize thematic evolution and emerging fronts. Methods: We analyzed 1,391 English-language articles and reviews indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (1999-2024). CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R were used to evaluate publication trends, collaboration networks, co-citation structure, keyword clustering, and burst detection. Results: Publication output increased slowly before 2010 and accelerated after 2018. The United States and China were leading contributors and key collaboration hubs. The co-citation core was anchored by landmark experimental and translational studies, including work on microbiome-to-behavior links and microbiome-targeted interventions. Keyword clustering and timeline views highlighted three prominent thematic directions: fecal microbiota transplantation, Rett syndrome, and maternal immune activation. Recurrent and burst keywords emphasized the gut-brain axis, short-chain fatty acids, gastrointestinal symptoms, and oxidative stress. Recent burst terms, including obesity, major depressive disorder, and glutamate, suggest increasing connections to metabolic and broader psychiatric dimensions. Conclusion: ASD-microbiome research has shifted from descriptive comparisons toward mechanism-oriented and intervention-relevant questions. Future progress will benefit from standardized protocols, longitudinal designs, and multi-omics integration, together with rigorously designed trials to evaluate microbiome-targeted strategies.

Indexed as

autism spectrum disorderbibliometricgut-brain axisgut microbiotamicrobiome

Identifiers

PMID41725847
PMCPMC12920429

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.