This story appears in the May 2020 issue of National Geographic magazine.
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This discovery could help doctors detect autism earlier
The brains of infants who develop the disorder grow too fast, researchers say. The finding may allow for treatments that limit autism's effects.
Alia Aamar soothes her 10-month-old daughter, Aneesa, before researchers scan her brain in Joseph Piven’s lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Aneesa has an older brother with autism, so she has a greater likelihood of developing it. By regularly scanning the brains of babies who might develop autism, the researchers hope to pinpoint brain changes that could be used to help make an early diagnosis.
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