{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T07:15:24Z","timestamp":1788419724021,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788393600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Neurosci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In 394 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we investigated the association between plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations and clinical phenotypes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between 22 AAs and clinical features, reporting odds ratios.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The median age at diagnosis was 3.5\u202fyears (interquartile range: 2.8\u20134.6\u202fyears) for boys and 3.1\u202fyears (interquartile range: 2.3\u20133.8\u202fyears) for girls; 81.5% of the participants were boys. A 25-unit increase in cystine concentration was associated with stereotypies (OR\u202f=\u202f2.07), hyperactivity (OR\u202f=\u202f1.79), and aggressive behavior (OR\u202f=\u202f2.13), suggesting a potential role of oxidative stress in these phenotypes. Similarly, a 25-unit increase in taurine levels was associated with hyperactivity (OR\u202f=\u202f1.24) and intellectual disability (OR\u202f=\u202f1.38), consistent with oxidative imbalance. Higher arginine levels appeared to have a protective effect against hyperactivity (OR\u202f=\u202f0.70), indicating a potential role in ammonia detoxification. Increased glutamine and tyrosine levels were associated with ORs\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f1 for stereotypies, supporting potential neuroprotective roles.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>These findings suggest oxidative stress, urea cycle dysfunction, and altered neurotransmission may contribute to the pathophysiology of ASD and related clinical phenotypes in young children, warranting further investigation to inform the development of personalized clinical and nutritional interventions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2026.1913701","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T06:40:45Z","timestamp":1788417645000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Amino acid profiles and clinical phenotypes in young children with autism spectrum disorder"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Ilaria","family":"Serati","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco","place":["Milan, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Lalli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Translational Immunology, IRCCS Foundation National Cancer Institute","place":["Milan, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrea Riccardo","family":"Dallapiccola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Epilepsy Center, San Paolo Hospital","place":["Milan, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pietro","family":"Baso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, IRCCS Mondino Foundation","place":["Pavia, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martina","family":"Tosi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan","place":["Milan, Italy"]},{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children\u2019s Hospital","place":["Milan, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"Brustia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University Hospital Maggiore della Carit\u00e0","place":["Novara, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria Paola","family":"Canevini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Epilepsy Center, San Paolo Hospital","place":["Milan, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michele","family":"Mussap","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory Medicine, Hospital Foundation Villa 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Clinical Pathology, Department of Diagnostic Services, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo","place":["Milan, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria Cristina","family":"Straface","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Department of Diagnostic Services, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo","place":["Milan, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amanda","family":"Papa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University Hospital Maggiore della Carit\u00e0","place":["Novara, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sabrina","family":"Fede","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Functional Genomics and Rare Diseases, Buzzi Children\u2019s Hospital","place":["Milan, 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