Children with Autism Experience Unusual Brain Chemistry Changes Over Time: Study

Children between the ages of 3 and 10 who have autism display unusual brain chemistry that can evolve over time, new research shows.

Brain scans measuring neurochemical levels in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental delay showed a "dynamic reversal" of reductions in cerebral gray matter N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in children with ASD, according to Stephen Dager, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues.

The findings support the notion that autism spectrum disorder is fundamentally different from other developmental disorders, Dager concluded.

"Children with autism showed a very different developmental course than kids who had developmental delays without autism," Dager said. "We're hoping to better understand what the processes are so we can develop more focused interventions that can help to modify these processes to the benefit of the individual."

The findings suggest that "a dynamic brain developmental process underlies ASD," Dager noted, while developmentally delayed children had a "different, more static" pattern of changes.

In the case of the ASD children, the investigators said, the dynamic pattern they observed beginning at age 3 or 4 "likely reflect a process that begins at an earlier stage of development."

The study also highlights the positive impact that early intervention can have on children with autism, said autism expert Dr. Ali Carine, an osteopathic pediatrician in Columbus, Ohio.

"Autism stands as a different type of process than a stagnant developmental process," Carine said. "We need to identify autistic children and start intervention when the potential for change is greatest. Clinically, we know the younger we catch these kids, the more they respond to intervention."