Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
##common.pageHeaderLogo.altText##

Health promotion and disease prevention

Vol. 28 No. 3 (2026)

Imaging changes in children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: A literature review

DOI
https://doi.org/10.22267/rus.262803.10172
Submitted
April 29, 2026
Published
2026-09-01

Abstract

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication, as well as repetitive behaviors. Despite its high prevalence, the pathophysiological basis of ASD is not yet fully understood. Objective: To analyze findings from neuroimaging studies that provide evidence of pathophysiological changes in the brains of individuals with ASD. Materials and methods: A literature review was conducted in PubMed, UpToDate, ClinicalKey, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect between February and August 2024. Selected elements of the PRISMA statement were considered to organize the search and study-selection process. Results: The reviewed studies identified structural differences in the amygdala, cerebellum, and other cortical regions, together with alterations in neural connectivity and atypical patterns of brain activation. These dysfunctions are associated with difficulties in social interaction and sensory integration. Conclusion: Neuroimaging techniques provide valuable information on brain alterations associated with ASD and may contribute to earlier diagnosis and the development of more effective therapeutic interventions.

References

  1. Lord C, Brugha TS, Charman T, Cusack J, Dumas G, Frazier T, et al. Autism spectrum disorder. Nat Rev Dis Primers [Internet]. 2020; 6(1):5. DOI: 10.1038/s41572-019-0138-4
  2. Arberas C, Ruggieri V. Autismo: Aspectos genéticos y biológicos. Medicina [Internet]. 2019 [citado 2026 Apr 12]; 79(Suppl 1):16-21. Disponible en: https://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0025-76802019000200005&lng=es
  3. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. 5th ed. Washington (USA): American Psychiatric Association; 2013. Disponible en: https://www.appi.org/dsm
  4. Schielen SJC, Pilmeyer J, Aldenkamp AP, Zinger S. The diagnosis of ASD with MRI: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Transl Psychiatry [Internet]. 2024; 14(1):318. DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-03024-5
  5. Ayoub MJ, Keegan L, Tager-Flusberg H, Gill SV. Neuroimaging techniques as descriptive and diagnostic tools for infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Brain Sci [Interent]. 2022; 12(5):602. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050602
  6. Pretzsch CM, Ecker C. Structural neuroimaging phenotypes and associated molecular and genomic underpinnings in autism: a review. Front Neurosci [Internet]. 2023; 17:1172779. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1172779
  7. Desaunay P, Guillery B, Moussaoui E, Eustache F, Bowler DM, Guénolé F. Brain correlates of declarative memory atypicalities in autism: a systematic review of functional neuroimaging findings. Mol Autism [Internet]. 2023; 14(1):2. Disponible en: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13229-022-00525-2
  8. Vidal Barraza NV. Análisis de imágenes de resonancia magnética por difusión en adolescentes con autismo [Tesis]. Concepción: Universidad de Concepción; 2023. Disponible en: https://repositorio.udec.cl/items/faec1bdd-4cf4-4e26-a5e7-497f1731f32f
  9. Thomson AR, Pasanta D, Arichi T, Puts NAP. Neurometabolite differences in autism as assessed with magnetic resonance spectroscopy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev [Internet]. 2024; 162:105728. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105728
  10. Ahlfors SP, Graham S, Alho J, Joseph RM, McGuiggan NM, Nayal Z, et al. Magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography can both detect differences in cortical responses to vibrotactile stimuli in individuals on the autism spectrum. Front Psychiatry [Internet]. 2022; 13:902332. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.902332
  11. Guo Z, Tang X, Xiao S, Yan H, Sun S, Yan Z, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis: multimodal functional and anatomical neural alterations in autism spectrum disorder. Molecular Autism [Internet]. 2024; 15(1):16. DOI: 10.1186/s13229-024-00593-6
  12. O'Reilly C, Lewis JD, Elsabbagh M. Is functional brain connectivity atypical in autism? A systematic review of EEG and MEG studies. PLoS One [Internet]. 2017; 12(5):e0175870. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175870
  13. Echeverry CD, Moreno GLJ. Bases del conocimiento molecular del autismo con variantes VARS y NRXN1: a propósito de un caso. IJEPH [Internet]. 2023; 6(1):e8637. DOI: 10.18041/2665-427X/ijeph.1.8637
  14. Martinez-Morga M, Paz Quesada M, Bueno C, Martinez Salvador S. Bases neurobiológicas del autismo y modelos celulares para su estudio experimental. Medicina [Internet]. 2019; 79(Suppl 1):27-32. Disponible en: https://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0025-76802019000200007
  15. Kato Y, Yokokura M, Iwabuchi T, Murayama C, Harada T, Goto T, et al. Lower availability of mitochondrial complex I in anterior cingulate cortex in autism: a positron emission tomography study. Am J Psychiatry [Interent]. 2023; 180(4):277-284. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.22010014
  16. Lukito S, Norman L, Carlisi C, Radua J, Hart H, Simonoff E, et al. Comparative meta-analyses of brain structural and functional abnormalities during cognitive control in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Psychol Med [Internet]. 2020; 50(6):894-919. DOI: 10.1017/S0033291720000574
  17. Walsh MJM, Wallace GL, Gallegos SM, Braden BB. Brain-based sex differences in autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan: A systematic review of structural MRI, fMRI, and DTI findings. Neuroimage Clin [Internet]. 2021; 31:102719. DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102719
  18. Sader M, Williams JHG, Waiter GD. A meta-analytic investigation of grey matter differences in anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder. Eur Eat Disord Rev [Internet]. 2022; 30(5):560-579. DOI: 10.1002/erv.2915
  19. Hazlett HC, Gu H, Munsell BC, Kim SH, Styner M, Wolff JJ, et al. Early brain development in infants at high risk for autism spectrum disorder. Nature [Internet]. 2017; 542(7641):348-351. DOI: 10 [Internet]1038/ nature21369
  20. Di Martino A, O'Connor D, Chen B, Alaerts K, Anderson JS, Assaf M, et al. Enhancing studies of the connectome in autism using the autism brain imaging data exchange II. Sci Data [Internet]. 2017; 4(1):170010. DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2017.10
  21. Wang Z, Zheng L, Yang L, Yin S, Yu S, Smith R, et al. Structural and functional whole brain changes in autism spectrum disorder at different age stages. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry [Internet]. 2024; 34(5):1589-1602. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-024-02585-6
  22. Ecker C, Bookheimer SY, Murphy DGM. Neuroimaging in autism spectrum disorder: brain structure and function across the lifespan. Lancet Neurol [Internet]. 2015; 14(11):1121-1134. DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(15)00050-2.Floris DL, Filho JOA, Lai MC, Giavasis S, Oldehinkel M, Mennes M, et al. Towards robust and replicable sex differences in the intrinsic brain function of autism. Mol Autism [Internet]. 2021; 12(1):19. DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(15)00050-2
  23. Chen C, Van Horn JD, GENDAAR Research Consortium. Developmental neurogenetics and multimodal neuroimaging of sex differences in autism. Brain Imaging Behav [Internet]. 2017; 11(1):38-61. DOI: 10.1007/s11682-015-9504-3
  24. Hazlett HC, Poe MD, Gerig G, Styner M, Chappell C, Smith R, et al. Early brain overgrowth in autism associated with an increase in cortical surface area before age 2 years. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011;68(5):467-476. DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.39
  25. Courchesne E, Campbell K, Solso S. Brain growth across the life span in autism: age-specific changes in anatomical pathology. Brain Res [Internet]. 2011; 1380:138-145. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.09.101
  26. Rogel-Ortiz FJ. Autismo. Gac Med Mex [Internet]. 2005 Abr [citado 2026 Ago 10]; 141(2):143-147. Disponible en: https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0016-38132005000200009&lng=es
  27. Lord C, Elsabbagh M, Baird G, Veenstra-VanderWeele J. Autism spectrum disorder. Lancet [Internet]. 2018; 392(10146):508-520. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31129-2
  28. Minshew NJ, Williams DL. The new neurobiology of autism: cortex, connectivity, and neuronal organization. Arch Neurol [Internet]. 2007; 64(7):945-950. DOI: 10.1001/archneur.64.7.945
  29. Palau Baduell M. Análisis de las alteraciones magnetoencefalográficas en pacientes con trastornos del espectro autista [Tesis]. Barcelona (ESP): Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 2017. Disponible en: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/tesis?codigo=139238
  30. Dawson G, Rogers S, Munson J, Smith M, Winter J, Greenson J, et al. Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism: the Early Start Denver Model. Pediatrics [Internet]. 2010; 125(1):e17-e23. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-0958
  31. Baron-Cohen S. The extreme male brain theory of autism. Trends Cogn Sci [Internet]. 2002; 6(6):248-254. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-6613(02)01904-6
  32. Barkley RA. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. 4th ed. New York (USA): Guilford Press; 2014. Disponible en: https://www.guilford.com/books/Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder/Russell-Barkley/9781462538874

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.