How Autism Affects The Brain

Autism Spectrum Disorder refers to a variety of symptoms that can develop as a result of a child’s brain evolving differently. Autism affects the brain during early development and is typically diagnosed within the first 3 years of life.

As a spectrum disorder, people with autism can have a variety of symptoms. Not only can they have different symptoms, but they can also have different skillsets and needs. As a result, autistics don’t all think or act alike. In fact, the variety of symptoms that people with autism can have is based on how different areas of their brains have developed.  

Autism Affects In The Brain: Neurobehavioral

Autism is a neurobehavioral condition. There’s a relationship between the evolution of all of our brains and the behaviors that we engage in. Autistics process the world and respond to it differently because their brains evolve atypically. The differences in their brains aren’t something that neurologists see when we do an MRI or CT scan. The changes in their brains actually occur at the cellular level.  

People with autism spectrum disorder have billions of neurons in their brains like everyone else. The problem is in how their neurons are connected. Typically, not only does the human brain have somewhere around 80 billion neurons, but there are also trillions of connections among those neurons. Studies have shown that in autism spectrum disorder there is decreased neuronal connectivity. Decreased connectivity means neurons connect less, especially in parts of the brain that are a little further away from each other.

The Brain Hemispheres

There also seems to be less connectivity between the right and left hemispheres of the brain in someone with autism. Areas of the brain that are further away are likely to be involved in different tasks. For instance, most people are language dominant in the left half of their brain. Emotions, on the other hand, are more prominent on the right side. Sometimes you’re engaged in an activity that requires multiple brain hemisphere usage. A conversation, for example,  requires you to be able to talk, understand what someone is saying, pick up on different cues, and understand the emotional context in conversations. Those multi-layered brain requests can be challenging for someone with an autism spectrum disorder.

But oftentimes, when an autistic person can focus on one task,  they can be really great at it. Being able to focus on one task involves fewer areas of their brain, and the neurons that are active may have strong connections with other neurons that are close by.  

Autism and White Matter

The ability of neurons to connect and communicate with one another is enhanced by white matter. These are nerves that are wrapped in myelin, which speeds up the communication between neurons. Some studies have found that there may be a connection between abnormalities in the brain’s white matter and the severity of autistic symptoms. Connection abnormalities in the brain can cause the three categories of symptoms that we typically see in autistics.  

1. Communication

Autistics may have difficulty communicating. They may be slower to learn how to talk or they may not be able to talk at all. Additionally, autistics may have difficulty using or understanding language. But verbal language isn’t the only issue. They can also have challenges with nonverbal communication like eye contact and facial expressions. 

2. Social Interactions 

The second symptom we often see in someone with autism is difficulty with social interactions. They may not always have the best understanding of social norms and how to interact with people. They may violate personal spaces or make offensive comments without understanding why.  

3. Behavior

The third symptom someone with autism spectrum disorder can have is related to behavior. They can seem obsessed with certain activities and they might engage in repetitive behaviors.  

It’s a Spectrum Disorder For A Reason

Regardless of the symptoms and how autism affects the brain, individuals with autism spectrum disorder also have a variety of strengths and abilities. Autistics can also:

• Memorize and learn information quickly.

• Excel in science, engineering, and mathematics since they are technical subjects and don’t rely on social interaction.

• Provide an excellent sense of direction.

• Concentrate for long periods of time when motivated.

All symptoms occur in varying degrees. In some autism spectrum disorders, communication issues, difficulty with social interactions, and repetitive behaviors may be obvious, compared to others. The varying degrees of symptoms are what make autism a spectrum disorder, regardless of how it affects the brain.