Brain scan could diagnose autism in 15 minutes
Updated on 11 August 2010
As scientists develop a brain scan which could diagnose autism in 15 minutes, Chris Goodchild, who has Asperger's syndrome, tells Channel 4 News the importance of being quickly diagnosed.
The research, by scientists at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London and funded by the Medical Research Council, could lead to a simple, biological test for autism, and a clear diagnostic process, for the first time ever.
The brains of people with autism are subtly different to people who do not have the condition, and researchers developed a pioneering new method to use these differences to diagnose people who are on the autism spectrum.
In tests, it proved to diagnose adults with autism with over 90 per cent accuracy.
Using an MRI scanner, researchers took pictures of the brain's grey matter. Then, with a separate imaging technique, they reconstructed the pictures as 3D images which computers could assess for structure, shape and thickness, all measurements that reveal Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
More than one per cent of the UK population, over half a million people, are affected by autism in the UK, mainly men.
The condition affects different people differently, but sufferers share an inability to communicate, form social relationships, and empathise. They may demonstrate repetitive use of words or movements.
Asperger's syndrome is also on the autism spectrum. People with Asperger's share the same social difficulties as people with autism, but often have less difficulty speaking and are also often of average or above average intelligence.
Diagnosis "saved my life"
"The moment of diagnosis was an enlightenment, as if the gates of my humanity opened up and I could come forth into the world," Chris Goodchild, who has Asperger's syndrome, told Channel 4 News.
"I had no hope before. Now, I've accepted something I can never change. I can't cry it away, kick it away, scream it away. And that's painful. But now I have hope. I know who I am, and it has changed my life and saved my life.
"And 99.9 per cent of people would say that – it's the only diagnosis where people will be grateful and relieved."
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Diagnosis
In the past, diagnosis has been based on the patient's own experiences, questionnaires and tests, and information from people around them.
The new method would be quicker, more accurate and could also be cheaper. The scientists said that as MRI scanners are already installed in hospitals across the country, the method could be 20 times faster and cheaper than traditional diagnosis techniques.
It is expected to take two more years before the technique is ready to be rolled out for general use.
'Immense' value
Dr Christine Ecker, one of the researchers who carried out the study, said: "The value of this rapid and accurate tool to diagnose ASD is immense. It could help to alleviate the need for the emotional, time consuming and expensive diagnosis process which ASD patients and families currently have to endure. We now look forward to testing if our methods can also help children."
Professor Declan Murphy, who led the research, said: "Most importantly their diagnosis will be based on an objective ‘biomarker’ and not simply on the opinion of a clinician which is formed after an interview. Simply being diagnosed means patients can take the next steps to get help and improve their quality of life.
"People with autism are affected in different ways; some can lead relatively independent lives while others need specialist support or are so severely affected they cannot communicate their feelings and frustrations at all."
The research studied 20 healthy adults, 20 adults with ASD, and Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results were published today in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Carol Povey, director of the National Autistic Society's Centre for Autism, said: "This study gives an insight into the way people with autism process and understand the world around them, which is particularly valuable.
"Eventually, the researchers hope that brain scans might also be a useful diagnostic tool.
"While further testing is still required, any tools which could help identify autism at an earlier stage have the potential to improve a person's quality of life by allowing the right support to be put in place as soon as possible.
"However, diagnosis is only the first step. At the National Autistic Society, we frequently receive calls from people who have struggled to get support, leaving them anxious, frustrated and in some cases depressed or even suicidal.
"Research that improves our understanding of autism is therefore part of a wider struggle to enable people with autism to access appropriate support at every stage of their life."
