Biomarkers of Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Published:2019
American Academy of Pediatrics, "Biomarkers of Autism Spectrum Disorder", Autism – Caring for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Practical Resource Toolkit for Clinicians
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There is recent interest in identification of biomarkers for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Biomarkers are measurable biological characteristics and can include genetic studies, biochemical measures, neurophysiological measures, or neuroimaging measures. Research is focused on identifying biomarkers for the purpose of identifying individuals at risk for a specific condition. Ideally, biomarkers could also allow for precision medicine1,2 through which specific treatments could be targeted to subgroups of patients. This approach holds particular promise for conditions with high levels of heterogeneity such as ASD.
While extensive research is underway to identify potential biomarkers for ASD, currently no biomarkers are...