A brief review of saliva biomarkers as a diagnostic tool for autism spectrum disorder (asd)

Abstract

The diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) remains clinical to this date. Immune dysfunction has been a recognized feature in ASD, and several researchers suggest that it can be used as a diagnostic tool by detecting biomarkers as well as an effective route for pharmacological intervention. The molecular biomarkers obtained from biological fluids are gaining relevance because of its lower invasiveness and ease of collection. Patients with autism are characterized by sensory reactivity and behavioral difficulties that can make sample collection problematic and, in this context, saliva appears to be a viable alternative for obtaining relevant biological information, being also especially indicated for children due to its painless and non-invasive sampling characteristics. Also, the saliva represents a valuable resource for studying possible biomarkers of autism. Following is a brief description of the main works published in recent years on saliva biomarkers for the diagnosis of autism.