Gut Microbes Could Help Diagnose Autism, Study Suggests

A new study has found a link between certain gut microbes and autism in children. The findings suggest that analyzing the gut microbiome could one day aid in diagnosing autism, potentially making the process much quicker and more straightforward, researchers reported Monday in the journal Nature Microbiology.

“Usually, it takes three to four years to make a confirmed diagnosis for suspected autism, with most children diagnosed at six years old,” Qi Su, lead author of the study and a researcher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says to the Guardian’s Ian Sample. “Our microbiome biomarker panel has a high performance in children under the age of four, which may help facilitate an early diagnosis.” Read More