California, New study results from an international research team led by University of Southern California (USC) scientists have identified a signature pattern of white matter connectivity exclusive to the brains of autistic people distinct from that in the brains of people with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

Approximately 85 percent of autistic people have been, or likely could be, diagnosed with DCD, a condition that interferes with learning and motor control. DCD can impair everyday activities such as typing, dressing or walking, which can subsequently diminish one’s social participation and satisfaction.

The researchers found that many structural brain connectivity patterns previously believed to be related to autism also overlap with DCD. The team was able to pinpoint three white matter pathways demonstrating distinctly different connectivity, unique to the research participants with autism, as compared to the DCD and typically developing groups.

Source: Oman News Agency