WHEN A BABY FUSSES OR CRIES, EXHAUSTED PARENTS MAY WISH THEY COULD KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON INSIDE THEIR BABY’S BRAIN.
NOW SCIENTISTS HOPE CLUES COULD COME WITH THE HELP OF A WEARABLE BRAIN IMAGING DEVICE.
IT LOOKS LIKE A CAP AND CAN TRACK COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS.
AND ONE DAY IT MAY HELP IDENTIFY EARLY SIGNS OF AUTISM OR ADHD.
ITV SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT MARTIN STEW HAS THE STORY.
MARTIN: IT IS EASY ENOUGH TO TELL WHEN BABIES LIKE VICTOR ARE NOT HAPPY, NOT SO EASY TO KNOW EXACTLY WHY.
THEY CAN’T TALK TO TELL US WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE THEIR HEAD, AND BRAIN SCANS UNTIL NOW HAVE OFTEN INVOLVED FULL SEDATION AND AN MRI.
THAT IS WHERE THIS WEARABLE SCANNER COMES IN.
THE CAP HAS LOTS OF THESE HEXAGONS THAT SHINE LIGHT INTO THE HEAD AND MEASURE HOW MUCH LIGHT REFLECTS BACK OFF THE BRAIN.
BY SEEING THE DIFFERENCES IN LEVELS THAT REFLECT, WE CAN MAP WHERE BRAIN ACTIVITY IS HAPPENING.
THE BEAMS, WHILST COMPLETELY HARMLESS, ARE ILLUMINATING.
BY COMPARING BRAIN ACTIVITY WITH AND WITHOUT SOCIAL STIMULATION, SCIENTISTS OBSERVED DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACTIVITY IN THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX, SUGGESTING BABIES AS YOUNG AS FIVE MONTHS OLD ARE ALREADY BECOMING EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT.
>> SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE SEE IS MUCH GREATER ACTIVATION IN SOCIAL SITUATIONS, THOSE AREAS OF THE BRAIN ARE MORE ACTIVE WHEN BABIES ARE WATCHING PEOPLE SINGING OR TALKING THEN WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING AT TOYS.
>> THAT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY CANNOT TALK TO US.
YOU PICK UP ON THESE CUES.
IT’S SO INTERESTING TO SEE IT LIT UP AND HOW THE BRAIN LIGHTS UP.
MARTIN: VICTOR IS NEARING HIS FIRST BIRTHDAY, BUT THE KIT IS LIGHT ENOUGH TO WORK ON BABIES AS YOUNG AS ONE MONTH, MAPPING DIFFERENT AGES AND CONDITIONS.
WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL IN THE FUTURE?
>> ONE THING WE HOPE TO DO IS USE THIS IN INFANTS.
YOU HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY OF AUTISM OR ADHD, THAT MIGHT HELP US THINK ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF SUPPORT CHILDREN MIGHT NEED.
MARTIN: SCIENTISTS SAY THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE ENDLESS, BUT ARE OFFERING NO PROMISES.
THEY WILL WORK OUT HOW TO GET YOUR BABY TO SLEEP THROUGH.
JOHN: THAT WAS MARTIN STEW OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS.