Brain size could determine onset of autism

November 11 2002
 

The brain size of babies as young as four months old could signal whether they would develop autism, an American researcher announced at an international conference here today.

Dr Eric Courchesne, of the University of California, said his study negated worldwide speculation that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination was a cause of autism.

He said his "striking and surprising finding" was that autistic children had abnormally fast brain growth that began around four months' of age.

"Our finding places the biological beginning of this disorder at a very early timeframe," he told reporters at the inaugural World Autism Conference.

The MMR vaccine was given to children at 12 to 18 months of age but his study showed the abnormal brain growth occurred before this age.