Scientists succeed in testing potential brain-based method to diagnose autism.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the team was able to measure the response of autistic children to different environmental cues by imaging a specific part of the brain involved in assigning value to social interactions.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301051118307245?via%3Dihub
The brains of children with Autism Syndrome Disorder do not encode the value of social exchange in the same manner as Typically Developing children. The latter finding suggests the possibility of utilizing single-stimulus fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) as a potential biologically based diagnostic tool to augment traditional clinical approaches.
The responsiveness of the vmPFC in children diagnosed with ASD (compared to TD controls) is diminished for visual cues that represent highly valued social interaction.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-05-scientists-potential-brain-based-method-autism.html
Científicos de la Escuela de Medicina Wake Forest han dado el primer paso en el desarrollo de una prueba objetiva que diagnostique el autismo. Usando resonancia magnética funcional (IRMf), el equipo pudo medir la respuesta de los niños autistas a las diferentes señales ambientales al visualizar una parte específica del cerebro involucrada en la asignación de valor a las interacciones sociales.
In ASD kids, VMPFC (yellow) activates normally to single presentation of favorite objectsTop right: In ASD kids, VMPFC (missing yellow) does not activate normally to single presentation of favorite facesBottom left and right: In TD kids, VMPFC (yellow) activates normally to single presentation of favorite faces and objects Credit: Wake Forest Baptist Health
