Autism: A Systems Biology Disease

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the world today. People with autism present with stereotypy and with social and communication impairments. Research has shown that autism has roots in many systems in the body, including the metabolic, mitochondrial, immunological, gastrointestinal and the neurological. These systems interact in complex and highly interdependent ways. Autism poses a rich test bed for systems biology modeling techniques. This paper reviews some of the systems disturbed in autism and suggests several systems biology research areas.

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