Profiling of Activated Monocyte Populations in Autism and Associations with Increased Severity and Comorbid Behaviors

This study examined circulating monocyte activation markers in 77 children with autism and 49 typically developing controls, finding significantly increased CD137+ monocytes in the ASD group associated with greater behavioral impairments. Non-classical monocytes were linked to worse behaviors in both ASD and control populations, suggesting immune activation may correlate with autism severity.