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Autism: Scientists take 'first steps' towards biological test
Scientists have taken the first steps towards what they say could become a new blood and urine test for autism. Their study tested children with and without the condition and found higher levels of protein damage in those with the disorder.
The researchers said the tests could lead ultimately to the earlier detection of the condition, which can be difficult to diagnose. But experts expressed caution, saying such a test was still a long way off.
[...] For this new study, published in the Molecular Autism journal, researchers looked for chemical differences in the blood and urine of 38 autistic children and 31 children without the condition, all aged between five and 12. In those with autism they found higher levels of protein damage - particularly in the blood plasma - which they said were associated with ill health.
Dr Naila Rabbani, from the University of Warwick, who led the study, told the BBC the tests could ultimately be used by doctors to diagnose autism earlier in childhood by detecting these markers.
Advanced glycation endproducts, dityrosine and arginine transporter dysfunction in autism - a source of biomarkers for clinical diagnosis (open, DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0183-3) (DX)
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @03:51AM (5 children)
I was diagnosed at age 8 in the early 1990s when "autism" was only the very severe kind and not the "high-functioning" or "spectrum" kind. Not everyone shows obvious signs of autism at 4. High-functioning autism is often called a silent disorder because people just think that HFA people are normies that have easily fixable behavioral problems.
(Score: 0, Troll) by Ethanol-fueled on Tuesday February 20 2018, @04:34AM (1 child)
Lemme guess, one or both of your live-in parents had the money to afford that assessment.
If you had "real" autism, you wouldn't be posting that here. You'd be crinkled in the corner of the place you lived occasionally emerging to bark at the moon at 4am.
(Score: 3, Funny) by unauthorized on Tuesday February 20 2018, @06:40AM
Well, I must be safe then, I bark at the moon every night but I only crinkle in the corner for special occasions!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday February 20 2018, @01:53PM (2 children)
I've never been diagnosed, or IQ tested, but if I were born 30 years later I would surely have been labeled Aspie, or maybe severe Aspie.
The problems aren't easily fixable (not even in normies are behavioral problems easily fixable), but... IMO, all the interventionalist hand holding "special" garb can make the situation for HFA worse.
I could have done with some awareness back in the 1980s, instead of being labeled a socially clueless moron freak genius. When you're out in 0.1% territory, it's easy to believe that you're absolutely alone, there's nobody else like you, when in fact there are thousands your age more or less just like you - they are just spread around the world and usually doing their best to not stick out, just blend in.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Gaaark on Tuesday February 20 2018, @03:57PM (1 child)
Yeah, i found it hard growing up thinking i was just 'weird' and clueless, and thinking "What is wrong with me".
When my son was born i started thinking "Hey! I'm frakking AUTISTIC!!! There's nothing 'wrong' with me, i'm just different", and that has helped me a lot.
Decades ago, i'd probably be labelled as "Eccentric".
My wife says i get stranger and stranger every day.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday February 20 2018, @09:54PM
The "A" light went on in my head in December of 1988 - watching the movie Rain Man first run in the theater - No, I can't count toothpicks as they fly out of a dropped box, or remember the entire phone book, but my "weirdness" runs in that direction from normal.
🌻🌻 [google.com]