Language Delay Leaves Signature in Brains of Adults with Autism

A new study suggests that a common characteristic of autism – language delay in early childhood – results in lasting differences in the brain. Understanding such differences may lead to the identification of autism subtypes and the development of more-personalized supports and treatments, the authors propose. Their report appears in the journal Cerebral Cortex. It was funded, in part, by European Autism Interventions – a Multicentre Study for Developing New Medications (EU-AIMS). “The identification of underlying differences in anatomy and physiology – in the brain and throughout the body – are important for understanding autism and advancing personalized, more effective interventions and treatments,” comments Daniel Smith, Autism Speaks senior director of discovery neuroscience. “If these findings pan out, it might make sense for researchers and therapists to double-down on speech and language interventions and medicines that specifically engage the altered brain regi
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