Autism is a complex condition affecting individuals in various ways. Recent research has made a significant breakthrough by identifying two subtypes of autism. This discovery, made by an international team, could lead to better diagnosis and support.
The study used both human and mouse brain scans to find these subtypes, which differ biologically. Researchers hope this will lead to more tailored therapies and move away from a general approach often used for autism.
Neuroscientist Alessandro Gozzi from the Italian Institute of Technology highlighted that while autism has long shown variability, this study provides evidence of distinct biological bases. The team identified specific genetic and immune factors that correspond to different brain connectivity patterns.
The study examined brain scans from mice with autism-like characteristics, 940 young people with autism, and 1,036 non-autistic individuals. Two main patterns emerged: a hypoconnectivity group, with reduced brain connections linked to communication pathways in the brain, and a hyperconnectivity group, with increased connections related to the immune system, indicating more severe autism.
These findings were consistent across species and human datasets, suggesting they are genuine subtypes. However, researchers noted that only about 25% of the human brains in the study fell into these categories, indicating more research is needed.
The study opens new pathways for future autism therapies based on these biological traits. Past research identified subtypes using behavioural traits, but this study relies on brain imaging.
The researchers have made their data and tools available for other scientists. They believe larger datasets and improved techniques will reveal more subtypes in the future. The research is published in Nature Neuroscience.
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