title: Predicting autism at birth.
abstract: The amounts of at least three biochemical factors are more often abnormal in autistic people than neurologically normal ones. They include insulin-like growth factor, anti-myelin basic protein, and serotonin. This may explain why processes initiated in utero which hinder normal neurogenesis, especially myelination, continue after delivery. Quantitation of these parameters may make possible the calculation of an autism index, anticipating at birth which children will ultimately develop overt autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, 230 West 125th Street, NY 10027, USA. gary.steinman@touro.edu
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steinman
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D013002:Somatomedins; D012701:Serotonin