Disturbance of skin sensation and autism spectrum disorder: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

ConclusionThis study's findings suggest that DSS has potential causal effects on ASD, whereas ASD has no effect on DSS. Thus, skin sensitivity may represent a behavioral marker of ASD, by which some populations could be subtyped in the future.Lay SummaryThis study examines whether disturbance of skin sensation (DSS) has potential causal effects on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the bidirectional Mendelian randomization method. We believe our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because it provides more evidence of the causal effect of skin sensory abnormalities, such as touch, temperature, and tactile sensation, in ASD. Additionally, the findings are a reminder that the discovery of DSS as a biomarker in some ASD patients provides an objective and quantifiable indicator of the clinically relevant course of ASD, which can help to identify targets for intervention or treatment.

Source: Brain and Behavior - September 6, 2023 Category: Neurology Authors: Xiao Zhong, Letong Wang, Lin Xu, Jie Lian, Jie Chen, Xinxin Gong, Yongcong Shao Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research