In a small, preliminary study, magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain have been used to reliably detect autism, British researchers report in the most recent Journal of Neuroscience. In a study of 59 adult subjects, a 15-minute scan detected autism in more than 90 percent of the 20 autistic patients.
This is very early research, says Stier, noting the scans were being performed on patients whose autism had already been diagnosed (through the use of intelligence tests, interviews, examinations and blood tests). This is not of the same ground-breaking nature as yesterday s research into Alzheimer s.
Dr. Whelan agrees more research is needed, but notes an MRI scan that detects autism could be very useful. What we would like to see is a test that could detect autism very early in a child, before symptoms occur. If we could do these tests on six-month-olds and one-year-olds and find a specific pattern, then maybe there could be early intervention.