Showing posts with label medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicine. Show all posts
Monday, October 10, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Dyslexia: MRI Scan 'predicts when dyslexic will read'
The brain disorder makes it difficult for even very bright children to learn how to read and can be a lifelong source of frustration.
But according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), brain scans can predict the improvement of teenagers' reading skills, with up to 90 per cent accuracy.
"This study takes an important step toward realising the potential benefits of combining neuroscience and education research by showing how brain scanning measures are sensitive to individual differences that predict educationally relevant outcomes," said Bruce McCandliss, one of the lead authors of the study and a professor at Vanderbilt University.
The research found brain scan results to be significantly more accurate in predicting how well a dyslexic child ultimately reads than standardised reading tests or the child's behaviour.
"This approach opens up a new vantage point on the question of how children with dyslexia differ from one another in ways that translate into meaningful differences two to three years down the line," Prof McCandliss said.
He said the research raises the prospect of a future test that could help match dyslexic students with the most effective treatments.
"Such insights may be crucial for new educational research on how to best meet the individual needs of struggling readers," he said.
The research was primarily conducted by experts at the Stanford University School of Medicine, with help from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland. and the University of York in the United Kingdom.
But according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), brain scans can predict the improvement of teenagers' reading skills, with up to 90 per cent accuracy.
"This study takes an important step toward realising the potential benefits of combining neuroscience and education research by showing how brain scanning measures are sensitive to individual differences that predict educationally relevant outcomes," said Bruce McCandliss, one of the lead authors of the study and a professor at Vanderbilt University.
The research found brain scan results to be significantly more accurate in predicting how well a dyslexic child ultimately reads than standardised reading tests or the child's behaviour.
"This approach opens up a new vantage point on the question of how children with dyslexia differ from one another in ways that translate into meaningful differences two to three years down the line," Prof McCandliss said.
He said the research raises the prospect of a future test that could help match dyslexic students with the most effective treatments.
"Such insights may be crucial for new educational research on how to best meet the individual needs of struggling readers," he said.
The research was primarily conducted by experts at the Stanford University School of Medicine, with help from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland. and the University of York in the United Kingdom.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Detecting Autism early but keep it real
A study to monitor the efficiency of early Autism detection, carried out on behalf of the US Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Below we provide a summary of the results.
Objective: Assess the sensitivity and specificity of responding to one's own name at the age of 12 months as a screening tool for autism spectrum disorders and other developmental delays.
Participants: Study included 245 children; 156 infants who were thought to be at increased risk for autism and 89 who were not.
Methods: In a laboratory setting, researchers counted the number of attempts it took to get infants to respond to their own names while distracted by a toy.
Results: At 12 months, all of the control group and 86% of those at increased risk responded to their names on the first or second try.
Of the children who did not respond,
1) Not responding to one's name at a young age is very suggestive of developmental abnormalities, but it does not conclusively identify all children who will have problems.
2) Lack of response is also not universal in all children who have autism spectrum disorders and other developmental issues.
I believe it is a cautionary tale and one that parents should take heart and encouragement from.
Source: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Objective: Assess the sensitivity and specificity of responding to one's own name at the age of 12 months as a screening tool for autism spectrum disorders and other developmental delays.
Participants: Study included 245 children; 156 infants who were thought to be at increased risk for autism and 89 who were not.
Methods: In a laboratory setting, researchers counted the number of attempts it took to get infants to respond to their own names while distracted by a toy.
Results: At 12 months, all of the control group and 86% of those at increased risk responded to their names on the first or second try.
Of the children who did not respond,
- Five were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder by age 2,
- Four had other delays, and three were developing normally,
- Two had not reached that age before the study was published.
1) Not responding to one's name at a young age is very suggestive of developmental abnormalities, but it does not conclusively identify all children who will have problems.
2) Lack of response is also not universal in all children who have autism spectrum disorders and other developmental issues.
I believe it is a cautionary tale and one that parents should take heart and encouragement from.
Source: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
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