In a recent study led by Yale, researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery related to autism, a developmental disorder that affects how people communicate and interact.
The team looked into the early brain development of boys diagnosed with autism and found two distinct patterns.
What’s more surprising is that these patterns seem to be linked to the size of the child’s brain. These discoveries could be a game-changer in diagnosing and treating autism in the future.
Autism can show itself in many ways, and every individual experiences it differently. However, this study suggests that, interestingly, kids with similar symptoms can have two different types of brain network changes.
“It’s amazing to see that children with the same symptoms can have such different brain changes,” remarked Dr. Flora Vaccarino from the Yale School of Medicine.
To understand these brain changes, the Yale team took a unique approach. They collected stem cells, which are like “starter cells” that can develop into different types of cells, from 13 boys with autism.
Some of these boys had an enlarged head, a condition known as macrocephaly. From these stem cells, the team grew tiny 3D brain models called brain organoids, which behave like the developing brain of a fetus.
They then compared the brain development of these boys to that of their fathers.
A little context here: about 1 in 5 cases of autism involves kids with macrocephaly, meaning their head size is bigger than 90% of kids their age. These cases usually have more severe autism symptoms.
The team found something fascinating. The boys with both autism and macrocephaly had a rapid growth of specific brain cells called excitatory neurons, while other boys with autism had fewer of these neurons compared to their fathers.
These neurons are important as they help pass signals in the brain. An imbalance can affect how the brain functions.
Why is this significant? The first symptoms of autism usually show up when a child is 18 to 24 months old. If doctors can track these neuron changes from an early age, they might be able to diagnose autism earlier.
Additionally, these findings suggest a new way to treat autism. Some conditions, like epilepsy, are caused by too much activity of excitatory neurons.
We already have medicines for such conditions. Vaccarino believes that kids with autism and an enlarged head might benefit from these epilepsy drugs, while those without might not.
To fine-tune treatments for every individual, the idea of creating “biobanks” was also proposed. These would be large collections of stem cells from patients.
Using these, doctors could grow organoids and test which treatments work best for each person – a concept known as personalized medicine.
Another key contributor to this study was Abyzov Alexej from the Mayo Clinic. This research, which brings hope for many families affected by autism, was published in the respected journal Nature Neuroscience.
Overall, while this research is still in its early stages, it offers a promising direction for understanding the complexities of autism.
By identifying these early changes in the brain, we are one step closer to providing better care and solutions for those affected by the disorder.
If you care about autism, please read studies about a new cause of autism, and cats may help decrease anxiety for kids with autism.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about vitamin D that may hold the clue to more autism, and results showing strange eating habits may signal autism.
The study was published in Nature Neuroscience.
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