New Brain Scanning Method for Early Detection of Autism

Kozhikode :

For years, scientists have been trying to find out the reasons behind autism and to formulate effective treatment methods.

In a breakthrough, for the first time, a team led by Rajesh Kanna of University of Alabama at Birmingham has used different types of brain scanning techniques to understand how the brain of people with autism is organised and connected.

“We studied the structure, function, chemical level, and connectivity of the brain of people with autism,” said Rajesh, who hails from Karivellur Panchayat in Kannur district.

In an e-mail interview    with ‘Express’ from the US, he said that the importance of the study using multimodal neuroimaging-based classification would help to diagnose autism at an early age, when the brain is at formative stage and the intervention will be more effective.

Neuroimaging research will help in improving and supporting the diagnosis of autism, and enhance the pace of diagnostic process, he said.    “The important aspect is its approach in using multiple brain imaging modalities. Such an approach emerges from the fact that behaviorally complex disorders like autism may entail complex neurobiology. Focal brain markers may not explain such disorders. And we may have our best bet in using multiple levels of measurements in order to identify biomarkers for this disorder,” he adds.

“The findings of this study provided a comprehensive picture of the complex brain pathology in autism spectrum disorders. In advancing the field, this study emphasises that the brain abnormalities in autism may not be confined to a single area, rather, it will be distributed across different areas at multiple levels and layers,” he said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by C P Sajit / March 30th, 2015

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