Study finds autism and mental retardation markers:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
A US team has discovered a link between markers in neonatal blood and the likelihood of developing autism or mental retardation later in childhood. In an examination of archived neonatal blood, researchers found significantly elevated levels of several neuronal growth factors only in children who went on to develop autism or mental retardation, study researcher Judith Grether reports in the Annals of Neurology (May). Identifying a biological marker early in life and before the onset of symptoms could lead to earlier and more definitive diagnoses and lead to the discovery of interventional therapies for the disorders.