Autism wizzes go with their guts
The Standard Hong Kong
13th July 2024
Autism wizzes go with their guts
By Alysha Bibi
Chinese University has developed a novel, non-invasive autism screening tool that analyzes a person's gut microbiome using only a small stool sample.
The advanced screening tool has shown an impressive 90 percent diagnostic accuracy for autism spectrum disorder, a significant advancement compared to conventional behavioral assessments used by psychologists for autism diagnosis.
The research team developed a diagnostic model based on a panel of 31 multi kingdom and functional gut microbial markers, using machine learning.
They recruited around 1,600 children aged one to 13, both with and without autism, between 2021 and 2022. By analyzing stool samples, the researchers discovered that the gut's microbiome ecosystem was significantly different in children with autism compared to their neurotypical peers.
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