While autism and ADHD are better understood, distinguishing between these disorders is still relatively complicated. Australian researchers from South Australia claim to have identified biomarkers unique to them, using an eye test.
Common symptoms
the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the more common of the two conditions. Affecting 5-8% of children (mainly boys) and often persisting into adulthood, it is accompanied by a relatively wide range of symptoms, including attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. This is usually treated with psychostimulant drugs such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and dexamphetamine.
Less commonly diagnosed, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect nearly 1% of the population. It is much more difficult to make a diagnosis, since the symptoms and their severity vary more from person to person. These may include difficulty interacting and communicating, excessive attention to detail, and unusual reactions to certain sensations. The therapies are much more focused on coping.
Although these two types of disorders are fundamentally different, their symptoms can sometimes overlap, complicating the diagnosis and by extension the orientation of patients towards the appropriate care and treatment. But all that could soon change. Researchers from theflinders university announced that they had identified biomarkers (in the form of electroretinogram signals) identifying cases of ADHD and autismbut also of distinguish these two conditions.
A potential new diagnostic tool for autism spectrum disorders and ADHD
Lelectroretinogram (ERG) is a diagnostic tool that opticians have used since the 1940s to identify retinal disorders. Flashes of light, or certain patterns, are projected while an electrode (taking the form of a thin fiber or a lens) in contact with the patient’s cornea records his retinal activity.
Detailed in the review Frontiers in Neuroscience, the experiments carried out involved 55 subjects with ASD, 15 with ADHD and 156 control individuals between the ages of 3 and 27, all of whom underwent such an examination. This made it possible to highlight of significant differences in b-wave energy levels and oscillatory potentials. With ADHD patients showing higher overall ERG energy levels than the control group, which were conversely lower in subjects with ASD.
” This study provides preliminary evidence of neurophysiological changes to differentiate ADHD and ASD from typical development, and also shows that it is possible to distinguish between these two conditions based on ERG characteristics. “, underline its authors. ” Because retinal signals are generated by specific nerves, identifying these differences and associating them with particular chemical pathways could potentially help diagnose other neurodevelopmental conditions.. »
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