Autism: Looking for Clues in the Brain

Dr. Eric Courchesne and Dr. Karen Pierce at the University of California Autism Center are looking for abnormalities in the brains of young infants who develop autism.

Dr. Courchesne says, "This region of the brain here..the frontal lobes is larger than a typical child his age."

Autism is a developmental disability that causes impairment of social behavior and communication and can include unusual behaviors and interests.

Jimmy is a patient at the clinic and is undergoing an MRI, to better analyze what is happening in his brain.

According to Dr. Courchesne, "New imaging techniques, new genetic techniques make it possible to understand the genetics. Brain basis for this disorder that was never dreamed of ten years ago. "

Early diagnosis, means early treatment, and the chance of a better life for each child.

Research like this may also identify new types of autism. Dr. Courchesne says the definition of autism was expanded in 1994 and since then the number of cases has been growing.

He says, "There is a increase in the rate of autism. When I first began research years ago it was one in 2000 now it's one in 150 so that is an alarming difference."

The cause is still unknown. most researchers agree it's partly genetic, but what triggers autism is still not known. Dr. Courchesne talks about the theory that early childhood vaccines may trigger autism.

He says, "One of the concerns was thimerisol, which is a chemical that was used as a preservative in vaccines. The concern about thimerisol as a possible cause or trigger is now considered to be rejected. It's no longer in the vaccines and the rates of autism remain high.

Dr. Susan Swedo, at the national institute of mental health is working to discover possible environmental triggers to autism.

She says, "This is a brain-based disease in which the children have a genetic vulnerability but something in the environment has triggered it in them."

She is focusing her research on viruses or microbes that may be a trigger for autism.

Dr. Swedo says, "Many people think of environmental triggers as vaccines or toxins or something that man has done to them. But we also know that microbes are changing. Its equally possible that it's a virus or a bacterial infection."

For patients like Jimmy there is still no clear answer.