A new study shows that studying the way a child moves could help diagnose neurodevelopmental disorders including autism.
There is no medical test to diagnose autism, such as a blood test or genetic screening for example. Corn a new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, proposes a more precise method than the previous ones which were based on subjective criteria, such as a disturbance of the movement of the eyes or the repetition of gestures.
Movement, a biomarker of autism
“We discovered that each person has their own ‘DNA of movement’,” explains Jorge V. José, one of the study’s authors. Even the most imperceptible variations in movement would detect an autistic disorder.
To conduct this study, the researchers looked at how 70 volunteers moved their arms to touch an object on a screen. Then, each was assigned a score based on the fluctuations in the speed of their movement. The lower the score, the higher the risk of autism. The researchers used high-resolution, high-speed sensors to track fluctuations invisible to the naked eye.
Among these 70 people, 30 were already diagnosed with autism and aged between 7 and 30 years. Also present in the group, 15 people said to be neurotypical (ie neither autistic nor suffering from Asperger’s syndrome) aged between 19 and 31 years; six neurotypical children and finally 20 neurotypical parents of autistic children.
Prevent the risk for parents
By conducting this study, the researchers made a discovery. Some parents without neurodevelopmental disorder, however, obtained a low score during the trial.
For scientists, this could help detect the risks for parents of having children with autism. A hypothesis which will be the subject of a future study.
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