The Potential for Proteomics in Understanding Neurodevelopmental Disorders

The field of proteomics and use of mass spectrometry as well as other proteomic techniques is continually growing, based on the interest of researchers for searching for potential biomarkers for numerous diseases and disorders. Currently protein biomarkers are not standardly used in clinical practice for diagnosing and monitoring neurodevelopmental disorders. The ability to predict the cause of a medical problem and aid in its treatment would be greatly increased with a biomarker or set of biomarkers. Most studies performed on neurodevelopmental disorders have been in the genomic field rather than in the proteomic realm. However, the few studies that have been performed in proteomics show promise for candidate neurodevelopmental protein biomarkers, both as research tools and in clinical use. Here, we describe potential protein biomarkers for neurodevelopmental disorders and the importance of proteomics in understanding neurodevelopmental disorders