OHIO — A study published on June 30, 2026, in the journal NeuroMarkers demonstrated that a carbon-fiber nanosensor can differentiate between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) by measuring nitric oxide (NO) levels in patient-derived stem cells. This distinction was possible even when both conditions originated from the same genetic mutation.

Researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Ohio University developed and utilized the carbon-fiber nanosensor to measure real-time NO production within induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The nanosensor was initially developed for research into cardiovascular and Alzheimer's diseases.

Co-author Howard D. Dewald stated that the study found a quantifiable difference in NO production. "ASD patient cells produced about 6 nM of NO, ID patient cells produced 11 nM, and healthy control cells produced 65 nM, a clear, quantifiable difference," Dewald said. The researchers selected iPSCs for their study because these cells represent an early developmental stage, which helps to eliminate confounding variables such as age, nutrition, or previous drug treatments.

Dewald noted that the process did not require the cells to be differentiated into neurons. "Surprisingly, the method did not require differentiating cells into neurons-measurements were made on undifferentiated iPSCs, simplifying the workflow," he added.

Co-author Abdullah Asif Khan explained that despite similarities between autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, this method remains effective. "Despite overlapping etiologies and symptomatic similarities between autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, real-time bio-electrochemical analysis of newly generated nitric oxide can still serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of autism," Khan said. He also suggested that this advancement could lead to earlier detection. "This nanosensor-based approach could enable diagnosis in the first few months after birth using somatic cells," Khan stated.

Current diagnostic practices for ASD primarily rely on behavioral evaluations. The study did acknowledge limitations, specifically regarding the availability of samples for research.