System and method for risk assessment of autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

A system and method for risk assessment of an individual for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been provided. The system is using a non-invasive method for risk assessment of the individual, especially children, for ASD through prediction of metabolic potential of the bacteria residing in gastrointestinal tract of the individual. The system is configured to calculate a score, evaluated from the gut bacterial community's taxonomic abundance profile, which is indicative of its metabolic potential for production of a particular neuroactive compound. A set of metabolic pathways harboured by the bacterial community residing in gut has been utilized to develop an ASD diagnosis scheme that, when applied with the conventional screening tests, help in early diagnosis of the ASD. Further, the present disclosure also provides bacterial community based therapeutic approaches that can potentially minimize the side effects through maintaining the healthy cohort of bacteria in gut.