ASD Physiology

This 2020 article explains that autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder also considered as a hidden disability due to the lack of apparent structural difference between children with ASD and typically developing children. Several features lead to the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, considering behaviors (repetitive and stereotypic) and impairments in socialization and language. But ASD is said to be one of the most challenging disorders for medicine, as its incidence has risen in young children and yet there is a lack of successful treatments. Researchers believe that the neurobiology of ASD is associated with oxidative stress. Furthermore, children diagnosed with ASD may be more susceptible to oxidative stress. Early assessment and treatment of oxidative stress may result in a better prognosis since the oxidative stress could potentially be reduced before it can cause more irreversible damage to the brain. This review discusses the role of oxidative stress in autism spectrum disorder, and its use as a target for therapeutic interventions.