A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Association between infant and toddler gut microbiota composition and later executive functioning
Authors: Huovinen, Venla; Aatsinki, Anna-Katariina; Eskola, Eeva; Benedetti, Giulio; Isokääntä, Heidi; Nordenswan, Elisabeth; Munukka, Eveliina; Lamichhane, Santosh; Yada, Akie; O’Mahony, Siobhain M.; Dickens, Alex; Lahti, Leo; Karlsson, Hasse; Korja, Riikka; Nolvi, Saara; Karlsson, Linnea
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Development and Psychopathology
ISSN: 0954-5794
eISSN: 1469-2198
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579426101527
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579426101527
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523573832
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY NC SA
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Background:
Studies indicate that alterations in gut microbiota composition (GMC) during the first 1,000 days of life are associated with neurodevelopment and further behavioral development. However, research on the associations between GMC and executive functions (EFs) in childhood is scarce. This study aims to improve the understanding of the biological processes underlying behavioral development by exploring the associations between GMC and EFs early in life.
Methods:
Study population (n = 373) is part of the longitudinal FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. GMC was analyzed using infant and toddler stool sample 16S rRNA sequencing and targeted and untargeted metabolomic assays. EF was assessed using the Spin the Pots and Snack Delay tasks at 2.5 years and the Spin the Pots task, Delay of Gratification task, EF Touch battery and BRIEF-2 questionnaire at 5 years.
Conclusions:
Alpha diversity in infancy was negatively associated with preschool EF. Additionally, EFs differed between microbial groups based on dominant genera. Bacterial genera abundances were related to some EFs, but no associations were found between microbial metabolites and EF. This study is among the first to investigate associations between GMC and EF in childhood, a crucial developmental stage characterized by significant changes in both the brain and microbiota.
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Funding information in the publication:
This research was funded by Finnish State Grants for Clinical Research (ERVA) Research Council of Finland (308252, 308589, 308176) and Waterloo Foundation.
VH was funded by Emil Aaltonen foundation, OLVI Foundation and Signe & Ane Gyllenberg foundation. LK was funded by the Research Council of Finland (grant number 308176 and 325292), Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation (6847, 6976), Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, Finnish State Grants for Clinical Research (P3654), Jalmari and Rauha Ahokas Foundation, and Waterloo Foundation (2110-3601). AKA was supported by Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, Psychiatry Research Foundation, Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Brain Foundation, Instrumentarium Science Foundation, Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, Duodecim Finnish Medical Society, Juho Vainio Foundation and Research Council of Finland (grant number 347640). LL was supported by Research Council of Finland (grant number 330887). EM was supported by the government research grant awarded to Turku University Hospital. AD has been funded by the Waterloo foundation and Research Council of Finland (347924). “Inflammation in human early life: targeting impacts on life-course health” (INITIALISE) consortium funded by the Horizon Europe Program of the European Union under Grant Agreement 101094099 (to MO HK AD).
