Special Education Saturday - A Blood Test for Autism

A group of researchers from the JC Self Research Institute of the Greenwood Genetic Center and Biolog Inc. discovered that those with an autism spectrum disorder had a significantly lowered ability to metabolize the amino acid L-trytophan than others. 

So what.

Well, there are two implications. The first is for diagnosis, the other for treatment.

There may be a diagnostic blood test that could look for the metabolism of this amino acid and be used to determine the presence or absence of autism.

In addition, this raises the possibility that autism may be treatable by a biochemical method such as a targeted medication.

While this is just a beginning, it certainly looks promising.