EEG Brain Trace ‘Can Detect Autism’

EEG Brain Trace ‘Can Detect Autism’

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A simple brain trace can identify autism in children as young as two years old, scientists believe. A U.S. team at Boston Children’s Hospital say EEG traces, which record electrical brain activity using scalp electrodes, could offer a diagnostic test for this complex condition.

EEG clearly distinguished children with autism from other peers in a trial involving nearly 1,000 children. The researchers repeated their analysis 10 times, splitting up their study group (children with a medical diagnosis of autism and children with no signs of autism) in different ways. Around 90% of the time, the EEG patterns could correctly detect the children diagnosed with autism. Experts say more work is needed to confirm the BMC Medicine study results.