A brain-based diagnostic service that leverages EEG data to provide risk assessment & monitoring services for autism in infants as early as 3-6 months.

 Project Overview

“A means of screening for ASD that uses physiological data rather than behavioral observation would be revolutionary.” – US Pediatrician

Mindlight Medical is currently developing an EEG-based system, based on years of validated research, that can screen for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in infants as young as 3-6 months of age. EEG data is transmitted to a cloud-based system, where it is analyzed by advanced signal-processing algorithms to produce a risk and severity assessment. Ultimately, this system may be incorporated into the pediatric workflow, presenting clinicians with risk assessment profiles that can be updated at each successive check-up. Being able to detect and predict the severity of non-neurotypical development almost 12 months earlier than the current standard will allow providers to jump-start intervention therapies.

Healthcare Context

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that imposes a large burden on individuals, families, and society. A recent CDC report estimates a US prevalence of 1 in 59 children1. Currently, there are no accepted assessments to predict autism for children younger than 18 months, which limits the efficacy of early intervention therapies2. Children who receive autism-appropriate education and support at key developmental stages are more likely to gain essential social skills and react better in society2.

The American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledged the importance of early diagnosis by recommending that all children should be screened for autism spectrum disorder at 18 and 24 months3. The current standard diagnostic exams also primarily involve subjective clinical interviews, which impedes standardization across studies4,5.

Published Research

Bosl, W., Tager-Flusberg, H., & Nelson, C. (2018). EEG Analytics for Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A data-driven approach. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 6828.

Interested in Learning More?

Visit Mindlight Medical’s website here or send IDHA an email at accelerator@childrens.harvard.edu!

References

  1. Baio J, Wiggins L, Christensen DL, et al. Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2014. MMWR Surveill Summ 2018;67(No. SS-6):1–23. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6706a1.
  2. Kuriakose S., Shalev R. (2016) Early Diagnostic Assessment. In: Lang R., Hancock T., Singh N. (eds) Early Intervention for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Evidence-Based Practices in Behavioral Health. Springer, Cham
  3. Johnson CP, Myers SM and Council on Children with Disabilities (2007) Identification and evaluation of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics 120: 1183–1215
  4. Nah, Y., Young, R., & Brewer, N. (2018). Development of a brief version of the Autism Detection in Early Childhood. Autism, 1362361318757563.
  5. Al-Qabandi, M., Gorter, J., & Rosenbaum, P. (2011). Early autism detection: Are we ready for routine screening? Pediatrics, 128(1), E211-7.