![]() Previously, very little was known about the biochemistry of the developing brain, but structural and molecular neuroimaging studies have provided us with significant clues by showing dramatic differences in brain growth and levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in children with autism. One of the biggest problems in succinctly defining autism-and consequently in recommending treatment-is that the disorder exhibits such a broad array of characteristics. Recent research using molecular neuroimaging has provided critical information about how the processes in the developing brain of an autistic child differ from those in the brain of a child without the disorder. The ability to examine the brain of living subjects at such a fine level of detail allows greater understanding of the processes that underlie normal brain function and presents an opportunity to see how we might intervene if those processes are not functioning correctly. For example, by using PET to track a radioactive tracer that is converted in the body to a specific brain chemical such as the neurotransmitter serotonin, researchers are now able to examine how much of that neurotransmitter is made in a person’s brain. By selecting the right biochemical from the more than 1,400 that have been radioactively tagged, researchers can measure such processes as the metabolism of glucose, how proteins are synthesized in different areas of the body, blood flow, and how neurotransmitters bind to neural receptors. One powerful technique, positron emission tomography (PET), measures the location of a radioactive tracer as it travels through the body, including the brain. What is called molecular neuroimaging allows researchers to measure biochemical changes in the brains of living humans. Although these studies -have been invaluable in understanding more about the disorder, it is research at a more basic level that may provide the start for a new and unique method of treatment. Research in genetics, functional neuroimaging, and cognitive neuroscience has rovided helpful knowledge about potential causes of autism, as well as the range of behavioral effects. In the past two decades, scientists have made substantial advances in understanding autism and how it affects brain development and behavior. In this article we will explain why we believe that discoveries made using molecular neuroimaging offer the promise of a new approach to treating autism during critical periods of brain development. The Potential for Treatment, Not Management New research, however, may change that answer. They wonder if perhaps the disorder could have been avoided had they caught it earlier or done something-anything-differently during that critical period. Parents of autistic children usually witness this profound and often abrupt metamorphosis in their son’s or daughter’s development at some point between the one- and two-year mark. ![]() Many say that it was almost as if their child had suddenly and mysteriously changed into an entirely different person. The child who was once content to be held in Mama’s arms now recoiled from her touch, and any small change in routine could result in inconsolable screams. The lively sounds that so closely resembled speech never quite evolved into actual words instead they regressed into grunts and nonsense noises. But then, they say, seemingly overnight, things dramatically changed. Many parents of autistic children speak about their child in terms of “before” and “after.” They reminisce about their child’s babyhood, full of play, smiles, and the early developmental milestones so easily reached. ![]()
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