Brain Scan Can Detect Autism In Infants 166
kkleiner writes "A new study shows that brain scans can detect autism in children as young as 6 months old. Researchers at University of North Carolina's Institute for Developmental Disabilities imaged the brains of 92 children who were at high risk for autism. Scans were performed when the children were 6 months, 1-year, and 2-years old. At 2 years, the age when children are typically diagnosed, 30 percent of the children were found to have autism. The researchers then compared the brain images of the autistic children with the others. They saw differences in the brain's white matter, the axon-laden pathways that transmit electrical signals to distant parts of the brain. Of the 15 pathways analyzed, 12 were significantly different between autistic and non-autistic children."
But I thought... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:This is one of those things... (Score:5, Funny)
It's like a smoke detector which is telling you your house is already on fire, but can do nothing about putting it out or preventing it from happening.
On the other hand, you can get a 2-year jump-start on locking the kid in the attic.
Re:But I thought... (Score:3, Funny)
Brain scans caused autism in 30% of the children scanned!
Re:Brain scan introduces radiation into the brain (Score:5, Funny)
The technique is essentially harmless.
Except that 30% of those scanned in the study now have autism... coincidence? ;)
Re:Brain scan introduces radiation into the brain (Score:5, Funny)
The technique is essentially harmless.
Except that 30% of those scanned in the study now have autism... coincidence? ;)
I bet most of that 30% also were exposed to that super-dangerous Dihydrogen Monoxide, too. That's where I'd put my money. After all, some kids have autism without ever being scanned, and most of them were probably exposed to DHMO. Parents give that stuff to their kids like it was water, without ever realising how dangerous it is!
I'd go on, but I have to go take my kids to their swimming class.
Re:Brain scan introduces radiation into the brain (Score:2, Funny)