What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental condition that affects 1 in 36 children in the United States according to the CDC’s Autism and developmental disabilities Monitoring Network, representing one of the most disabling chronic conditions in childhood. The core symptoms of this condition include deficits in social communication and interactions, along with restrictive or repetitive behaviors. However, there are a variety of additional symptoms that are often present in people with ASD, which include but are not limited to anxiety, stress and agitation, gastrointestinal abnormalities, differences in eating habits, inattention, impulsivity, epilepsy, or seizure disorders, along with sleep issues.
The severity of ASD can range significantly, with some individuals requiring little to no support from caregivers to others needing constant care. For example, those with profound autism have little to no verbal communication skills or an I.Q. of less than 50. It is reported that about 27 percent of 8-year-old children with ASD meet the criteria for profound autism.
Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications to treat the core symptoms of ASD, and the drugs that are prescribed target secondary symptoms, often fall under off-label use, and are accompanied with substantial metabolic adverse effects.
Our mission is to leverage our multidisciplinary expertise in the field to develop a novel therapeutic that targets the core symptoms of autism.
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​​References
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