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Updated: Apr 11, 2026
12:21
Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2011
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Autism spectrum traits in normal individuals: a preliminary VBM analysis
Farah Focquaert1, Sven Vanneste2
1Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Bioethics Institute Ghent, Ghent University Ghent, Belgium.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|June 2, 2015
Summary
Individuals with high autistic traits show distinct brain structure differences, including altered gray matter volume in social brain network areas, similar to those seen in clinical autism spectrum disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis is now viewed as a continuum.
- Autistic traits are distributed continuously in the general population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare brain structure in neurotypical individuals with high autistic traits (high systemizing/low empathizing) versus low autistic traits.
- To investigate if high autistic traits in neurotypical individuals correlate with brain irregularities seen in clinical autism.
Main Methods:
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) study.
- Comparison of gray matter volume between two groups of neurotypical adults: high systemizing/low empathizing (HS/LE) and high empathizing/low systemizing (HE/LS).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in social brain network areas were observed.
- HS/LE individuals showed increased gray matter volume in the orbitofrontal cortex, cuneus, hippocampus, and parahippocampus.
- HS/LE individuals exhibited reduced gray matter volume in the inferior temporal cortex, insula, and amygdala compared to HE/LS individuals.
Conclusions:
- Neurotypical individuals with high autistic traits exhibit specific brain structural differences.
- These findings suggest a shared neurobiological basis between high autistic traits in the general population and clinical autism spectrum disorder.
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