Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent impairments in cognition, communication, and social behavior.

Children with ASD often face gastrointestinal discomfort associated with dysfunctions in the microbiome-gut-brain axis, influenced by diet and common nutritional deficiencies.

Research highlights specific gene-related DNA methylation changes in ASD patients and animal models, suggesting DNA methylation patterns could serve as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment targets.

Neuroinflammation, affected by cytokines and microglia, can disrupt central nervous system development and contribute to behavioral issues in ASD.

ASD exhibits a strong genetic component with high heritability.

Comparison drawn to the discredited 1998 Lancet paper linking vaccines to autism, underlining skepticism in the field.

The study involves researchers from universities and medical centers in Iran.

A recent study collected fecal samples from 1,627 children to explore the gut microbiome using DNA sequencing.

Concerns raised about a study using machine learning to diagnose autism based on gut microbiome, questioning the credibility and interpretation of results.

The New York Times reported on the potential use of gut microbiome for autism diagnosis, referencing a scientific paper in Nature Microbiology.

The research article includes authors such as Hanieh Gholamalizadeh, Maedeh Amiri-Shahri, and others.

A prior Australian study found no direct correlation between autism and gut microbiome, cautioning against definitive causal claims.