Shared Brain Activity Patterns in Diverse Genetic Forms of Autism

A recent study from the University of Minnesota Medical School suggests that different genetic forms of autism may lead to similar patterns of brain activity and behavior. The findings were published in Nature Neuroscience.

Using brain-recording technology, researchers examined neurons across the brain to determine whether various genetic variants of autism produce common neural patterns. They found that, despite genetic differences, some forms of autism show a shared pattern of brain activity, referred to as a brain signature.

We hope this research will serve as a stepping stone linking genetic differences and behavioral atypicalities.

Jean-Paul Noel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota

The study found that preclinical models with autism-related genetic mutations had difficulty adjusting their expectations—or predictions about the near future—when responding to new information.

Unlike typical models, which adapted more easily, these models relied more on the brain’s frontal regions and less on sensory areas. As a result, their brains focused more on long-term prediction errors, while their sensory systems had trouble distinguishing between expected and unexpected sensory input.

The researchers also identified a brain circuit that may contribute to behavioral changes in all three autism models studied. This feedback pathway from the frontal regions to the visual cortex will be examined further in future research.