Difference in default mode network subsystems in autism across childhood and adolescence

Neuroimaging research has identified a network of brain regions that are more active when we daydream compared to when we are engaged in a task. This network has been named the default mode network. Furthermore, differences in the default mode network are the most consistent findings in neuroimaging research in autism. Recent studies suggest that the default mode network is composed of subnetworks that are tied to different functions, namely memory and understanding others' minds. In this study, we investigated if default mode network differences in autism are related to specific subnetworks of the default mode network and if these differences change across childhood and adolescence. Our results suggest that the subnetworks of the default mode network are less differentiated in autism in middle childhood compared to neurotypicals. By late adolescence, the default mode network subnetwork organisation was similar in the autistic and neurotypical groups. These findings provide a foundation for future studies to investigate if this developmental pattern relates to improvements in the integration of memory and social understanding as autistic children grow up.