Subcortical brain volume variations in autistic individuals across the lifespan.
Danielle Christensen, Young Seon Shin, Jingying Wang and 12 others
PMID 40887620WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic children had larger amygdala volumes than peers, but these shrank faster with age, leaving no difference in adults.
Basal ganglia volume stayed larger across the lifespan. Ventricles enlarged faster in autistic adults, suggesting accelerated brain aging.
Key findings
01Autistic individuals showed larger amygdala volume at younger ages, but this volume declined more steeply with age than in controls, resulting in no significant group difference in older adults.
02Basal ganglia volume was significantly larger in autistic participants across the entire lifespan, with similar rates of age-related decline in both groups.
03Cerebral ventricles enlarged significantly faster in autistic adults compared to controls, indicating accelerated ventricular expansion in later life.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design means different people were scanned at different ages, so it cannot track how an individual's brain changes over time. Participants were recruited from three different sites with different MRI scanners and protocols, which may have introduced subtle variations in the data despite statistical corrections. The study excluded individuals with intellectual disabilities (FSIQ < 60), neurological conditions like epilepsy, and current psychiatric disorders, so results do not apply to the full spectrum of autism. The groups were not matched on IQ, with controls having higher average scores, which could influence brain volume findings. The study did not account for the use of psychotropic medications, which can affect brain structure.
Declared interests
Funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Aging, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. No competing interests declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the larger basal ganglia and amygdala volumes in children as a permanent state. The study shows these regions shrink faster in autistic individuals, becoming similar to or smaller than controls in adulthood, which may relate to different aging trajectories rather than static differences.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →