Scientists may have confirmed a theory about the origins of autism by creating miniature, 3D replicas of human brains.
Because each organoid was grown from a toddler's own tissue, it could be considered a mini version of a given child's brain during the first trimester of pregnancy — as if the scientists had turned back the developmental clock. The researchers tracked how the size and growth of these organoids changed during these early stages of embryonic development.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The team found that the brain organoids of toddlers with autism grew almost three times faster than those without autism, becoming"significantly" enlarged by around 40% between roughly the first and second month of pregnancy, compared with the control group.
The results could"potentially add to our knowledge about neural aspects of autism," he added."It will be very interesting to see if these findings can be replicated by others."