• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 79 subscribers
  • Views 2748 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

A test for autism?

electra

I read today that researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have devised a test for autism that they say is 97% accurate. It involves giving someone am MRI scan and asking them to think about the meanings of words they are given, such as 'hug' or 'cuddle'. The posterior cingulate area of an autistic person's brain is supposed to show significantly less activity than that of an NT person when thinking about such words.

What do autistic people think of this? Is a test a good thing?

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Hi Electra,

    Do you have a link that you could post to the item you read about the Carnegie Mellon research?

    Longman, do you have a reference for your 97% figure? I read this to say that almost all research funding went on research! I suspect that a lot of money gets spent on all of the benefits and provisions that are allocated for helping people with autism - is there a figure that you have for that expenditure? The lost opportunities of so many people who are under employed or unemployed creates a massive cost for our society. The people whose lives are more miserable and disabled by the condition is a great opportunity for making things better. Anything that can help find new ways to improve that situation is to be welcomed.

    Personally, I feel that there is still a lot to learn about autism and other conditions of the mind. There are far too many people inappropriately diagnosed with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder etc and anything that would help reliably identify autism in some of these difficult cases would be useful. Mental health is too much of a lottery for my liking.

Reply
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Hi Electra,

    Do you have a link that you could post to the item you read about the Carnegie Mellon research?

    Longman, do you have a reference for your 97% figure? I read this to say that almost all research funding went on research! I suspect that a lot of money gets spent on all of the benefits and provisions that are allocated for helping people with autism - is there a figure that you have for that expenditure? The lost opportunities of so many people who are under employed or unemployed creates a massive cost for our society. The people whose lives are more miserable and disabled by the condition is a great opportunity for making things better. Anything that can help find new ways to improve that situation is to be welcomed.

    Personally, I feel that there is still a lot to learn about autism and other conditions of the mind. There are far too many people inappropriately diagnosed with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder etc and anything that would help reliably identify autism in some of these difficult cases would be useful. Mental health is too much of a lottery for my liking.

Children
No Data