Funding outcome

As mammals, we are dependent on our brains for survival, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. Emerging animal model studies suggest that the bacteria, or the microbiome, of our gut affect brain development in infancy. This discovery may change the way we view the emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The microbiome of infants is heavily dependent on the maternal microbiome composition and is impacted by the child's mode of birth. Caesarean section (CS) births have been shown to affect the abundance and diversity of microbes in the infant's gut which can cause a microbial imbalance in the body, known as microbiota dysbiosis. CS-births have been linked to certain infant health risks, including food allergies, asthma, and obesity. Some literature suggests that there is an association between CS delivery and neurodevelopment, as well as an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay, but current information is still scarce. Currently, there is little consensus regarding whether this risk of neurodevelopmental delay is directly impacted by CS-related microbiota changes or if there are confounding factors to blame. As such, the plan will be to conduct a systematic literature review to determine the general consensus on the association between CS-delivery and neurodevelopment as well as the role of CS-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis in mediating this link. Initial data analysis and interpretation with the CHILD cohort data at the Edmonton site will also be used to find associations between birth mode and neurodevelopment to support the systematic literature review.