MRI Might Screen for Autism
With the aim of catching autism in children at an earlier age than currently possible, scientists are exploring the potential of using MRI scans as a screening tool.
The current effort, focused on patients already diagnosed with autism, used MRIs to locate areas of the brain where the left and right hemispheres do not communicate properly. These so-called “hot spots” are central to motor function, attention, facial recognition and social behavior — types of behaviors that are abnormal in people with autism.
“We know the two hemispheres must work together for many brain functions,” study author Dr. Jeffrey S. Anderson, an assistant professor of radiology at the University of Utah, said in a news release. “We used MRI to look at the strength of these connections from one side to the other in autism patients.”
Read more here: MRI Might Screen for Autism – US News and World Report.
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About The Author
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts is founder of Support for Special Needs and has been a regular contributor since its inception in May 2010. A mom to two kids with special needs, she didn't want other parents to feel what is the often isolating world of raising a child (or two!) with disabilities. Her kids had kidney transplants at the age of eight and will need liver transplants in the future as a result of ARPKD/CHF. They both have vision disorders and learning disabilities.