From the Guardian, a response to the big news that autism can be diagnosed by brain scan:
Why autism can’t be diagnosed with brain scans
The BBC, the Guardian and Reuters this week widely reported British researchers published in the Journal of Neuroscience have developed a brain scan which can detect autism in adults with 90% accuracy.
Dr Christine Ecker, the lead author, showed her imaging technique was able to detect which people in her group had autism. “If we get a new case, we will also hopefully be 90% accurate,” she said.
Pretty simple then, you turn up, have the test, and you have a 90% chance of finding out whether you have autism.
Well, you couldn’t be any further from the truth. read the rest
And another group of people for whom antidepressants are not helpful.
Little evidence antidepressants helpful for autism
While antidepressants are commonly given to people with autism, there is no evidence from clinical trials that the drugs are helpful for children with the disorder, and only limited evidence that they benefit adults, a new research review finds.