Autistic people have symmetrical brain hemispheres, reveals study

New Delhi, Nov 1 (ANI): While it is known that the human brain is divided into two hemispheres, what is not known is that despite the two develop differently, symmetry is found in the brain of autistic people. The left and right halves develop differently, as each 'specialises' in certain functions. But brain asymmetry is sometimes affected in people with developmental or psychiatric disorders like autism, which is characterised by impaired social cognition, repetitive behaviour, and restricted interests. "Previous studies have suggested that people with autism spectrum disorder are less likely to have the typical asymmetries for language dominance or hand preference," explained PhD student Merel Postema. To find if people with autism have a more symmetrical brain, researchers decided to do a large-scale study, based on brain scan data from 1,774 people with autism and 1,809 healthy controls that were collected in different countries over more than 20 years. They found that the left an