886 wrote:
I find it hard to believe that a lack of protein in one's saliva could have anything to do with autism.
It wasn't a lack of protein as such but rather a difference in the protein profile. Some proteins were upregulated while others were downregulated. It is interesting and possibly relevant that the proteins affected were involved in immune system regulation.
This is just a "feeler" study and needs to be repeated with a much larger sample size. They know this. As Tuttle noted, lack of variation in the results presents its own problems. That would be addressed with a bigger sample size. Another problem with the study is that they may have picked up markers for immune system dysregulation that are found in some autistic people but also in some NTs.
There is a theory going around that autism may involve some immune system dysregulation. But so do immune system disorders. They will need NTs with immune system disorders in their larger study or else this could wind up diagnosing autism in NTs who have no autism but do have immune system dysregulation. They also need a whole lot more AS people. Just more participants in general. And this study will likely be repeated with a much larger number.