Brain Activity in Children with Autistic Traits Changes with Age, Study Shows

Just now September 29, 2026 1 min read 📰 Medical Xpress

📋 Key Takeaway

A study from WashU Medicine reveals that children with autistic traits perceive the world differently, with variations in brain activity as they age. The research involved brain scans of 545 children aged 5 to 15. Understanding these differences is crucial for developing tailored interventions, which could have implications for mental health policies in Iran.

Children with more autistic traits view and experience the world differently than their peers do, and those differences change as the children grow, according to a new study from WashU Medicine published Aug. 12 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The team studied brain scans from 545 children ages 5 to 15 taken while they watched a 10-minute clip of the animated movie "Despicable Me" inside an MRI machine.