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NIJMEGEN – A large public-private project, supported by 110 million euros by the European IMI (Innovative Medicines Initiative), is a team of scientists – led by King's College London – research on biomarkers with which autism can be divided into clear subgroups. Radboud researchers are also part of the team.
The main candidate for this project is the British King's College London. From the Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience and the Department of Radboudumc's Cognitive Neuroscience, Professor of Psychiatry Jan Buitelaar and Professor of Neuroscience Statistical Imaging Christian Beckmann are involved. Buitelaar is co-leader of clinical studies and Beckmann leads the development of new techniques and statistical databases
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In 2012, the first major European study on autism was launched, l & # 39; EU-AIMS. This abbreviation stands for European Autism Interventions – a multicenter study for the development of new drugs. This project ended in March this year and was followed by this research: AIMS-2. Buitelaar: & # 39; It is now clear that autism consists of many subtypes and that the underlying biology is very complex and heterogeneous. This explains why, until now, all attempts to develop treatments have failed. If you have a tool that works well in a subgroup, but with other subgroups just counterproductive, you will not see that in the overall result. Due to the group approach, you do not see any partial effects and you lose the chance of a good medicine for some of the patients.
New algorithms
Beckmann is a theoretical physicist and head of the department of statistics and neuroscience. To him the task of the huge amount of data that EU-AIMS has yielded in an intelligent and efficient way to obtain meaningful data. "Previously, for example, we looked at the abnormalities in the brain structure and based on it made statements about autism.We looked at brain function and made conclusions."
The Beckmann team collects all the structural and functional data of the brain and combines them with molecular and genetic data, individual patient symptoms, psychological and cognitive research, data from wearables that provide continuous physiological data and much more data.
Beckmann: "We will approach this mountain data with new techniques and algorithms, looking for subgroups." This leads not only to better diagnoses, but also to a better diagnosis. best chance of effective drugs.It is personal care. "
Lifestyle
Not only can medicine be used as therapy. Buitelaar points to a Scandinavian study according to which pregnant women who take multivitamins, including folic acid, pose a lower risk of children with autism. & # 39; & # 39; Such a study must first be confirmed, "he adds immediately," to be sure, "he says. but lifestyle or diet interventions are also conceivable. Or psychological interventions and maybe even magnetic stimulation of the brain. If this has an effect, why not?
Young Children
An important element of Nijmegen's contribution is following a group of young children with autism for several years. Buitelaar: "Earlier, we looked at children from the age of six, now we start at three o'clock. The sooner you determine the condition, the more treatment options, such as psychoeducation. The brain is plastic and can often adapt. At the same time, it means that your autism will probably only be found in its "pure" form at a young age. Subsequently, the clinical picture changes through adaptations to cope with the problems that arise from autism. "
Source: www.ru.nl
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