Autism

2023

Device for diagnosing autism at an early stage presented

In early August 2023, the American company EarliTec Dx announced the EarliPoint system for the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Read more here.

From a pregnant woman's blood test, it is now possible to assess the risks of autism in a child

In mid-April 2023, scientists from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health developed a technology in which a pregnant woman's blood test can assess the risks of autism in a child.

In the study, researchers found impaired levels of molecular compounds in maternal blood and cord blood associated with later diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Identifying these compounds sheds light on the biological processes that lead to ASD and could pave the way for early diagnosis and treatment.

The blood test of a pregnant woman can now assess the risks of autism in a child

The researchers analyzed levels of 1,208 different chemical compounds in plasma samples taken from 408 mothers mid-pregnancy (17-21 weeks) and in cord blood taken from 418 babies at birth as part of the Norwegian Autistic Birth Cohort (ABC). These compounds were analyzed to see if they were associated with a clinical diagnosis of autism at 3-5 years of age. To measure the levels of chemical compounds, scientists used metabolomics based on chromatography/mass spectrometry. They used machine learning to assess the predictive value of compounds as biomarkers of autism.

Machine learning analysis has shown the potential utility of these compounds as biomarkers, especially those in cord blood, for early detection of children at risk of autism. The study found several differences in biomarker levels between boys and girls, including an imbalance of lipid chemical clusters in maternal blood associated with autism in girls rather than boys. This finding may provide insight into the higher incidence of cognitive impairment in girls than in boys with ASD.

The study builds on the findings of a scientific paper published by the same group of scientists in 2022, which showed that autism risk is associated with groups of molecules associated with inflammation.

This study was funded by the National Institute of Health, the Jane Botsford Johnson Foundation, the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Science and the Norwegian Research Council. The authors claim no competing interests.^[1]

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