The future of autism testing could be only 15 minutes long.
A new study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, reports that an inexpensive, 15-minute brain scan might help doctors diagnose the condition more accurately, Reuters reports.
The team of British scientists who developed the technology looked at 20 healthy adults and 20 people who were diagnosed withautism spectrum disorder. This also includes Asperger syndrome.
By using standard MRI machines, the system analyzes changes in the brain's shape and structure in the regions responsible for language and social behavior, Reuters reports.
They say preliminary testing of their scan showed greater than 90 percent accuracy in adults and they expect no reason why such high results would not be found in children as well. They plan to test the scan on them soon.
Reuters reports that this new method detects structural changes in the brain's grey matter, and it could be ready for use in the upcoming few years.
Lead researcher Declan Murphy, professor of psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London tells Reuters that the ability to use an objective biological test for autism would likely mean patients could get treated faster.
People suffering from this complex brain disorder have difficulty with social interaction and communication, and the severity of the disability can be mild to debilitating.
A combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and education has been known to be an effective treatment for people suffering from autism, especially children, Reuters reports.
Doctors currently rely on time-consuming and emotionally involved evaluations based on interviews with the patients and by observing their behavior.
"Although this method is not ready for normal diagnostic situations, any step to easier diagnosis is welcome," Terry Brugha, professor of psychiatry at the University of Leicester who was not directly involved with the study, tells Reuters.
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