Amygdala Enlargement in Autism: Unraveling the Early Beginnings of Emotional Processing

Let's explore a fascinating aspect of autism research that has recently come to light. We've known for a while that many autistic children have an enlarged amygdala, but did you know that this enlargement can start as early as six months of age?

The amygdala is a part of the brain that plays a crucial role in processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety. Previous studies have indicated that autistic individuals often have an enlarged amygdala compared to their neurotypical peers. This finding has helped us understand some of the emotional and social challenges experienced by autistic individuals.

But here's the exciting news—new research has provided even more insights into this intriguing phenomenon. According to a recent study (Shen et al., 2022), the enlargement of the amygdala begins as early as six months of age in autistic children. Some other interesting results were:
- Autistic participants had significantly faster amygdala growth between the ages of six and 24 months.
- Participants with an increased amygdala growth rate showed greater social deficits at 24 months, but this growth was not associated with restricted and repetitive behaviors
- No difference was seen in the thalamus volume between the groups

This is fascinating information! If you're eager to dive deeper into the details of this study, we've got fantastic news for you. Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine features a research review that delves into the specifics of this study. Remember, research is continually evolving, and by staying informed, we can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of autism.

Access the Research Review in our article directory by clicking here.