Quick brain scan could screen for autism

[Guest guest]

Quick brain scan could screen for autism

By Ben Hirschler

LONDON | Tue Aug 10, 2010 5:34pm EDT

(Reuters) - A 15-minute brain scan could in future be used to test for autism,

helping doctors diagnose the complex condition more cheaply and accurately.

British scientists said on Tuesday their rapid test had proved more than 90

percent accurate in adults and there was no reason why it should not work

equally well in children.

It could be a boon for patients and their doctors by reducing reliance on

time-consuming and emotionally trying assessments based on interviews and

behavioral observation.

Autism is a complex brain disorder characterized by difficulties in social

interaction and communication, ranging from mild to profound impairment.

The new scanning method -- which picks up on structural changes in the brain's

grey matter -- could be ready for general use in a couple of years. The next

goal is to test it in children.

" What we are working on now is to see if we find the same results in younger

people, " research leader , professor of psychiatry at the Institute

of Psychiatry, King's College London, said in an interview.

" We would hope that it would work just as well ... there is no reason why not. "

TREATMENT

The ability to base a diagnosis on an objective biological test, rather than

having to rely on personality traits, should mean patients get treatment more

quickly, he added.

Cognitive behavioral therapy and educational treatment can be highly effective

for some patients and the impact of a more certain prognosis would be especially

beneficial for children.

and colleagues, who published their findings in the Journal of

Neuroscience, studied 20 healthy adults and another 20 individuals previously

diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which also includes Asperger syndrome.

The accuracy of the scan in predicting autism was so high that the results were

strongly significant, despite the small number of patients involved.

Experts not involved in the research applauded the research but cautioned

further study was still needed.

" Although this method is not ready for normal diagnostic situations, any step to

easier diagnosis is welcome, " said Terry Brugha, professor of psychiatry at the

University of Leicester.

said he envisaged that in future autism specialists would use a scan

alongside interviews, in much the same way as doctors monitoring diabetes look

at blood test results alongside patient histories.

The new system works by analyzing variations in the shape and structure of brain

regions linked to language and social behavior, using standard magnetic

resonance imaging (MRI) machines made by companies like General Electric,

Siemens and Philips.

The speed of the test makes it some 20 times cheaper than traditional tests,

which can take a team of doctors four to eight hours to conduct. The actual

brain scan costs around 100 pounds ($157.5).

Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one percent of the population in

Britain and the United States, and the condition affects four times as many boys

as girls. Researchers agree there is a strong genetic component.