USC researchers have uncovered new insights into how brain wiring differs in children and young adults with autism, pointing to more precise ways of understanding the condition. The study, published in Cerebral Cortex, analyzed brain scans from 365 participants between the ages of 5 and 24. Using advanced imaging and informatics methods, the team mapped tiny structural differences in the brain’s white matter, the “communication highways” that connect different regions of the brain. Traditional imaging studies have suggested differences in white matter in autism, but results have been inconsistent. To address this, the team applied new computational tools that allow for fine-scale mapping along individual fiber bundles. They found that, on average, autistic participants showed localized changes across many major tracts that link the brain’s hemispheres and connect regions involved in language, social behavior, and sensory processing.