#AI reads Urine# A pilot study of the plasma and urinary neurotransmitters in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorder
Published 20 February, 2026
This study systematically compared peripheral neurotransmitter levels in blood and urine between children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children, and identified multiple abnormalities in peripheral neurotransmitters, some of which were significantly associated with symptom severity, suggesting their potential as auxiliary biomarkers. Further comparison indicated that blood biomarkers are more informative for reflecting neurotransmitter synthesis and excitatory–inhibitory balance at the mechanistic level; for example, plasma gamma-aminobutyric acid showed a negative association with symptom severity, but several blood–severity relationships were nonlinear and susceptible to short-term influences such as stress during blood collection. In contrast, urinary biomarkers reflect the integrated metabolic output of neurotransmitters over a longer time window and are therefore more stable; notably, urinary norepinephrine and its related metabolic indicators showed clear and consistent linear positive correlations with autism severity, making them more amenable to quantitative assessment and repeated measurement. Consequently, blood biomarkers appear more suitable for elucidating disease mechanisms, whereas urinary biomarkers demonstrate greater practical value for clinical application, particularly in the auxiliary assessment of autism severity.
BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Dec 21. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-07682-7.
Youhe Gao
Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used Chat GPT / AI reading for summarizing the content. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.
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