PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Adults with autism show similar brain mapping of body parts as typically developing adults

Researchers reveal that adults with autism show brain patterns for body part perception similar to typical adults, despite behavioral differences

2025-07-11
(Press-News.org)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition, is often associated with difficulties in social communication and repetitive behavior. Previous research reveals that people with ASD often find it challenging to interpret intentions from body language and have difficulty recognizing faces and emotions, which may contribute to their social communication problems. Scientists speculate that these challenges might arise from differences in how the brain perceives faces and body parts, i.e., how individuals with ASD represent the human body. However, until now, no study had clearly mapped how body parts are represented in the brains of adults with autism or whether that organization differs from normal or typically developing (TD) adults.

In a detailed neuroimaging study involving adults in Japan, researchers addressed this knowledge gap by examining how ASD represents body parts in the brain. This study was published in Volume 3 of the journal Imaging Neuroscience on 5 June 2025. A team of researchers, including Professor Hirotaka Kosaka from Fukui University, Professor Rieko Oso, and Guest Junior Researcher Yuko Okamoto from Waseda University, was led by Assistant Professor Yuto Kurihara from the Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Japan, and used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare brain activity patterns in adults with ASD and TD adults as they viewed images of body parts. “Our goal was to test whether the lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC)—a brain region known to represent visual information about different body parts in a clustered way—functions differently in adults with autism,” says Kurihara.

The research team recruited 23 adults with ASD and 23 TD adults. Each participant underwent fMRI scanning while viewing grayscale images of eight body parts (e.g., hands, legs, face), the whole body, and chairs as a control object. Participants completed a 1-back task, pressing a button whenever an identical image appeared twice in a row, to ensure attention during the scan. The fMRI data showed that both groups activated the LOTC when viewing whole-body images. Importantly, there were no significant differences in the size or strength of this activation between the ASD and TD groups, indicating similar basic visual responsiveness.

To look deeper, the researchers used an advanced analysis method to understand how the brain organizes information about different body parts. They found that in both groups, the LOTC grouped body parts into three categories: action effectors (hands, feet, arms, and legs), non-effectors (chest and waist), and facial parts (upper and lower face). “These results suggest that adults with autism perceive visual body information in much the same way as neurotypical adults,” says Kurihara. “These challenges long-standing assumptions that differences in body-related perception contribute to social difficulties in ASD.” To make sure the results were solid, the team also tested whether brain activity patterns could accurately distinguish between different body parts. Again, both groups performed similarly. The researchers also analyzed whether brain patterns were linked to individual differences—such as autism symptom severity or sensory traits—but found no strong connections. Interestingly, earlier studies in autistic children showed different brain responses in the LOTC. But Kurihara’s team thinks this may change with age. “Children with autism may see body-related information differently, but those differences seem to fade as they grow up,” Kurihara explains.

Overall, the study shows that while people with autism may struggle to read emotions or intentions from gestures or expressions, the challenge may lie in interpreting these signals—not in seeing them differently. This insight could help shape more effective interventions, such as teaching social understanding or imitation, especially for adults.

“Our brains keep learning,” Kurihara says. “This study gives us hope—and a reason to keep improving how we support people with autism at every stage of life.”

 

***

 

Reference
Authors: Yuto Kuriharaa, Hirotaka Kosakab,c,d,e, Bianca A. Schustera,f, Ryo Kitadag, Takanori Kochiyamah, Hidehiko Okazawai, Rieko Osua, and Yuko Okamotoa
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1162/IMAG.a.24
Affiliations:
aFaculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
bResearch Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui
cDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychological Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital
dDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui
eDivision of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui
fDepartment of Cognition, Emotion and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna
gGraduate School of Intercultural Studies, Kobe University, Japan
hBrain activity imaging center, ATR- Promotions
iBiomedical Imaging Research Center, University of Fukui

 

About Waseda University
Located in the heart of Tokyo, Waseda University is a leading private research university that has long been dedicated to academic excellence, innovative research, and civic engagement at both the local and global levels since 1882. The University has produced many changemakers in its history, including eight prime ministers and many leaders in business, science and technology, literature, sports, and film. Waseda has strong collaborations with overseas research institutions and is committed to advancing cutting-edge research and developing leaders who can contribute to the resolution of complex, global social issues. The University has set a target of achieving a zero-carbon campus by 2032, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015. 

To learn more about Waseda University, visit https://www.waseda.jp/top/en  



About Assistant Professor Yuto Kurihara
Dr. Yuto Kurihara is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Human Sciences at Waseda University, Japan. He earned his Ph.D. in Human Sciences from Waseda University and has over 4 years of research experience. His work focuses on social and cognitive neuroscience, particularly autism spectrum disorder, emotional processing, and social interaction using neuroimaging techniques like fMRI, EEG, and fNIRS. He has authored over a dozen peer-reviewed publications and received a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research Fellowship. Dr. Kurihara’s research advances understanding of social brain function, and his recent work explores how individuals with autism perceive and process visual body information.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Uncovering behavioral clues to childhood maltreatment

2025-07-11
Childhood maltreatment leaves deep and lasting marks that have far-reaching consequences, extending beyond immediate trauma and affecting survivors in ways that are often invisible and misunderstood. Many survivors often face a complex mix of challenges that have an impact not only on their mental well-being but also on their physical health, social development, and overall quality of life. Studies have shown that the consequences of childhood maltreatment can be truly profound, influencing the risk of chronic health conditions and hindering educational and employment opportunities and lifelong relationships. However, despite the severity ...

Premenstrual symptoms linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease

2025-07-11
Women diagnosed with premenstrual symptoms have a slightly increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. This is shown by a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Nature Cardiovascular Research. Premenstrual symptoms include premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and the more severe form, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The symptoms, which appear a few days before menstruation and then subside, can be both psychological and physical. The study included more than 99,000 women with premenstrual symptoms who were followed for up to 22 years. The researchers compared their health with women without these symptoms – both in the general population ...

Newly discovered remains of ancient river landscapes control ice flow in East Antarctica

2025-07-11
Strictly embargoed until 10am BST (5am US Eastern Time) on Friday 11 July 2025 (Nature Geoscience embargo) -With pictures- The remains of landscapes thought to have formed when ancient rivers flowed across East Antarctica have been discovered – and could help predictions of future loss from the ice sheet. Researchers led by Durham University, UK, examined radar measurements of ice thickness and found extensive, previously unmapped, flat surfaces buried beneath a 3,500 km stretch of the East Antarctic coastline. These surfaces were once connected and it is believed were formed by large rivers after East Antarctica and Australia broke apart approximately ...

Newly discovered interstellar object 'may be oldest comet ever seen'

2025-07-11
Royal Astronomical Society press release RAS PR 25/33 (NAM 13) 10 July 2025 Embargoed until Friday 11 July 2025 at 10:00 BST A mystery interstellar object discovered last week is likely to be the oldest comet ever seen – possibly predating our solar system by more than three billion years, researchers say. The "water ice-rich" visitor, named 3I/ATLAS, is only the third known object from beyond our solar system ever spotted in our cosmic neighbourhood and the first to reach us from a completely different region of our Milky Way galaxy. It could ...

Animal-inspired AI robot learns to navigate unfamiliar terrain

2025-07-11
University of Leeds news | Peer-reviewed |  Under embargo until 10am BST Friday, July 11, 2025  WITH PICS & VIDEOS  Researchers have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that enables a four-legged robot to adapt its gait to different, unfamiliar terrain, just like a real animal, in what is believed to be a world first.  The pioneering technology allows the robot to change the way it moves autonomously, rather than having to be told when and how to alter its stride like the current generation of robots. This advance is seen as a major step ...

Underserved youth less likely to visit emergency department for concussion in Ontario, study finds

2025-07-11
Toronto, ON, July 11, 2025 — A new study finds socioeconomic disparities in rates of emergency department (ED) visits for concussion among children and youth.    Researchers from ICES, York University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and the University of Calgary found an increase in ED visits for concussion among all age groups prior to the pandemic, with the biggest increase among older children and teens (ages 10 to 19 years). However, children in the highest socioeconomic status group accounted for significantly more concussion-related ED visits ...

‘Molecular shield’ placed in the nose may soon treat common hay fever trigger

2025-07-11
Approximately 40% of the European population are allergic to pollen, and their symptoms cause an estimated loss of 100 million school- and workdays every year. The prevalence of hay fever has been surging for decades and this is likely to continue– a change so fast that genetic and health changes can’t be solely responsible. Improved hygiene, the widespread use of antibiotics and antiseptics, lifestyle changes, diet, pollution, and the climate crisis are also thought to play a major role in this increase. But now there is new hope for sufferers. As proof-of-principle, researchers have engineered ...

Beetles under climate stress lay larger male eggs: Wolbachia infection drives adaptive reproduction strategy in response to rising temperature and CO₂

2025-07-11
Fukuoka, Japan—Researchers at Kyushu University have found that when azuki bean beetles infected with Wolbachia bacteria are exposed to a simulated climate change environment—characterized by elevated temperature and carbon dioxide—they tend to produce larger eggs to enhance the survivability of their offspring. Interestingly, these larger eggs gave rise exclusively to male larvae. The study, published in Scientific Reports, demonstrates the benefits of Wolbachia infection under adverse environmental conditions in these beetles. It is also the first observation of sex-dependent changes in egg size in a species with chromosomal ...

Groundbreaking quantum study puts wave-particle duality to work

2025-07-11
Since its development 100 years ago, quantum mechanics has revolutionized our understanding of nature, revealing a bizarre world in which an object can act like both waves and particles, and behave differently depending on whether it is being watched.  In recent decades, researchers exploring this wave-particle duality have learned to measure the relative “wave-ness” and “particle-ness” of quantum objects, helping to explain how and when they veer between wave-like or particle-like behaviors. Now, in a paper ...

Weekly injection could be life changing for Parkinson’s patients

2025-07-11
A new weekly injectable drug could transform the lives of more than eight million people living with Parkinson’s disease, potentially replacing the need for multiple daily tablets. Scientists from the University of South Australia (UniSA) have developed a long-acting injectable formulation that delivers a steady dose of levodopa and carbidopa – two key medications for Parkinson’s – over an entire week. Their findings have been reported in the journal Drug Delivery and Translational Research. The biodegradable formulation is injected under the skin or into muscle tissue, where it gradually releases ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Orphan nuclear receptors in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease development

A technological breakthrough for ultra-fast and greener AI

Pusan National University researchers identify key barriers hindering data-driven smart manufacturing adoption

Inking heterometallic nanosheets: A scalable breakthrough for coating, electronics, and electrocatalyst applications

Adults with autism show similar brain mapping of body parts as typically developing adults

Uncovering behavioral clues to childhood maltreatment

Premenstrual symptoms linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease

Newly discovered remains of ancient river landscapes control ice flow in East Antarctica

Newly discovered interstellar object 'may be oldest comet ever seen'

Animal-inspired AI robot learns to navigate unfamiliar terrain

Underserved youth less likely to visit emergency department for concussion in Ontario, study finds

‘Molecular shield’ placed in the nose may soon treat common hay fever trigger

Beetles under climate stress lay larger male eggs: Wolbachia infection drives adaptive reproduction strategy in response to rising temperature and CO₂

Groundbreaking quantum study puts wave-particle duality to work

Weekly injection could be life changing for Parkinson’s patients

Toxic metals linked to impaired growth in infants in Guatemala

Being consistently physically active in adulthood linked to 30–40% lower risk of death

Nerve pain drug gabapentin linked to increased dementia, cognitive impairment risks

Children’s social care involvement common to nearly third of UK mums who died during perinatal period

‘Support, not judgement’: Study explores links between children’s social care involvement and maternal deaths

Ethnic minority and poorer children more likely to die in intensive care

Major progress in fertility preservation after treatment for cancer of the lymphatic system

Fewer complications after additional ultrasound in pregnant women who feel less fetal movement

Environmental impact of common pesticides seriously underestimated

The Milky Way could be teeming with more satellite galaxies than previously thought

New study reveals surprising reproductive secrets of a cricket-hunting parasitoid fly

Media Tip Sheet: Symposia at ESA2025

NSF CAREER Award will power UVA engineer’s research to improve drug purification

Tiny parasitoid flies show how early-life competition shapes adult success

New coating for glass promises energy-saving windows

[Press-News.org] Adults with autism show similar brain mapping of body parts as typically developing adults
Researchers reveal that adults with autism show brain patterns for body part perception similar to typical adults, despite behavioral differences