Task-based functional connectivity in striato-motor-cortical system in autism: Associations with sex and executive function

We previously found that female autistic people show differences in a part of the brain called the striatum. Some parts of the striatum connect to the frontal lobe of the brain, and may help people control their attention and behavior. We studied how the striatum "talked to" the frontal lobe in autistic girls. We found out that this communication is lower in autistic than non-autistic girls. We also found out that how much striatum "talks to" frontal lobe helps explain differences in how well both autistic and non-autistic youth of both sexes control their attention and behavior.