Summary: Could a new study on autism using video games change the way the disorder is treated?Autism spectrum disorder (also known as ASD) and autism are both categorized as general terms for the complex disorders of brain development. Autism and ASD present a mental condition that is similar the very early stages of childhood and is characterized by having difficulty communicating verbally and non-verbally, forming relationships and having trouble in social interactions. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 68 child have been identified with autism or ASD. Both diseases are reported to occur in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Director of the Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Dr. Mark Wallace, recently published a study which reveals the senses of sight and sound are separated with autism. The study focused on children with autism between the ages of six to 18 using a video game program. The children were asked to match the audio and visualsÂÂÂÂ of the game together to see if there was a link missing between sight and sound. Is this study going to change the way doctors treat autism? Dr. Wallace joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share his recent study on autism and the major insights on the disorder.
