Brain Scans Show Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Francis Collins for NIH Director's Blog February 21st, 2017
- Source: https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2017/02/21/brain-scans-show-early-signs-of-autism-spectrum-disorder/
Guido Gerig, chair and professor of computer science and engineering at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, was involved in this research.
For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), early diagnosis is critical to allow for possible interventions at a time when the brain is most amenable to change. But that’s been tough to implement for a simple reason: the symptoms of ASD, such as communication difficulties, social deficits, and repetitive behaviors, often do not show up until a child turns 2 or even 3 years old.
Now, an NIH-funded research team has news that may pave the way for earlier detection of ASD. The key is to shift the diagnostic focus from how kids act to how their brains grow.