Imaging technique speeds autism diagnoses

The technique was recently demonstrated by a team of scientists led by Dr Christine Ecker and Prof Declan Murphy at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) at King’s College London. After conducting the studies on dozens of adult men with and without autism the researchers reported their method has the ability to spot the syndrome with 90 per cent accuracy.

It is hoped the method could lead to the screening for autism spectrum disorders in children in the future.

ASD affects about one per cent of the UK population, which is approximately half a million people

The team used an MRI scanner to take pictures of the brain’s grey matter. A separate imaging technique was then used to reconstruct these scans into 3D images that could be assessed for structure, shape and thickness – all intricate measurements that reveal Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at its root.

By studying the complex and subtle make up of grey matter in the brain, the scientists can use biological markers, rather than personality traits, to assess whether or not a person has ASD.