Broccoli chemical may help autism patients

A new study found that a chemical in broccoli may help treat autism.

The chemical is sulforaphane.

Johns Hopkins and Harvard Hospitals studied 40 autistic boys and men.

26 of the boys took pills with sulforaphane.

Almost half of the patients treated had "much improved" or "very much improved" social interaction and verbal communication.

Patients who took a placebo did not fare as well.

Doctors stress though, that there is no known cure for autism.