Recent article summary in New Scientist magazine, "Early test could pick out kids at risk of autism" concerns use of Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of urine in children and discovered a distinct "chemical fingerprint" in the group with autism. this signature is related directly to: GUT BACTERIA. The urine testing shows high levels of metabolites of gut bacteria, raising the question of whether gut bacteria are implicated in the etiology of autism--or at least asking why these levels are high in autism. also may provide an objective measurement for autism in kids. Noted in the article: "It is possible that the gut bacteria in children with autism are producing toxins that might interfere with brain development. One of the compounds identified in the urine...was N-methyl nicotinamide (NMND) which has also been implicated in Parkinson's Disease...[researchers] found that short chain fatty acids produced by clostridium bacteria can induce reversible autism like behaviors in rats..."

Linda Geddes, "Early test could pick out kids at risk of autism"New Scientist, June 12, 2010, p.9.