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Studies Can Early Age Brain Scans Find Autism?
Researchers have now found that using MRI scans can help determine if babies are more likely to develop autism later in life. Significant changes in the brain can be detected early by this type of examination and indicate a possible disease.
A team of scientists from the University of North Carolina, the University of Minnesota and New York University found during an investigation that scans of baby's brains can indicate whether the child being examined is suffering from autism. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Nature".
Children with autism have significant difficulties getting involved in social relationships. Researchers now found a way to detect autism as early as childhood. (Image: dubova / fotolia.com) Physicians are examining about 150 children for the study
The experts examined the brains of around 150 children in the small study. 106 of the participants appeared to be at increased risk of developing autism. The reason for this was mostly cases of the disease in the family history. Autism can even affect several siblings in a family.
Results should be reviewed in larger studies
The current study found some common signs of abnormal brain overgrowth in 15 children aged six and twelve months. These children were later diagnosed with so-called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the age of 24 months, the experts explain. Unfortunately, the number of participants in the study was very low. If the results could be replicated in larger studies, this could create an effective screening method for children, scientists suggest.
Most children with ASD develop negative effects before the age of three
Early signs and symptoms of ASD in preschool children include delayed language development, repetitive behavior, and little interest in interacting with other people, the researchers say. Children with ASD tend to develop problems with social interaction and communication before the age of three.
In 15 children differences were found in the brain
Differences in MRI brain scans were found in only 15 children out of 148 subjects. The study aimed to identify whether ASA can be detected in six-month-old children (at high risk of developing the disease) with the help of brain scans before the first symptoms are detected, the authors explain.
Subjects were divided into two risk groups
Previous studies have already shown that the social deficits characteristic of ASA sometimes arise in early childhood, during the first and second year of life. The children in the study were divided into two groups. One with a high and one with a low risk of ASA, say the experts. Children were at high risk if they had older siblings with clinically diagnosed ASA.
In the subjects, three brain scans were performed
The infants were enrolled at the age of six months. At the age of twelve and 24 months, the subjects were re-examined, explain the doctors. At each of these three times a brain MRI scan was performed. The images from these studies were then used to determine brain tissue volume, brain surface measurements, and their cortical thickness, the researchers add. Other tests measured cognitive development, adaptive function, and autism-related behaviors. The final diagnosis of ASA was then made at the age of 24 months.
Which changes could be observed??
The observed changes increased the cortical surface expansion at the age of six to twelve months and the observed brain overgrowth at the age of twelve to 24 months, say the experts. During this time, the occurrence of social deficits, which were characteristic of the disease, was also shown.
Further research is needed
The study indicates that possibly changes in the brain are associated with ASD. MRI scans could be used to allow earlier diagnosis if the observed changes occur in all children with ASD, the authors explain. More major studies are now needed to pinpoint this. The results could affect the early detection and intervention of ASD. (As)