Autistic brains develop more slowly, study shows

A new study from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has shown that the brains of children affected by autism develop more slowly than healthy specimens.

Researchers have utilised a type of brain scan called T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the structural changes in the brains of 20 boys over a three-year period.

It was found that those affected by autism saw much slower development of the connections between brain regions that have been linked to language and social skills, while unused cells were not being pruned away correctly.

This creates abnormal brain circuits in which cells are connected too closely to those in close proximity, while not being well-connected enough to cells further away, thus making it hard to process information.

Senior author Jennifer Levitt said: "The delayed brain growth in autism may suggest a different approach for educational intervention in adolescent and adult patients, since we now know their brains are wired differently to perceive information."

Earlier this week, a University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing study showed that low birth weight children are more likely to be affected by autism.