Reconciling Dimensional and Categorical Models of Autism Heterogeneity: a Brain Connectomics & Behavioral Study

Abstract

Autism is characterized by abnormal brain connectivity, social impairment and repetitive behaviors. The range and severity of symptoms, and the pattern of abnormal brain connectivity can vary widely across autistic individuals. This variability has hindered the development of effective biomarkers. The authors applied a new mathematical model to functional brain imaging data of a large international cohort of autistic individuals, revealing three distinct patterns of abnormal brain connectivity. The different connectivity patterns were associated with variation in social impairment, repetitive behavior, executive dysfunction (inability to plan and execute plans), affective and externalizing problems across ASD individuals