Autism Sensory Profiles Predict Stimulus-Evoked Insula Connectivity

=63). We demonstrate that sensory severity predicts a significant decoupling between the insula and sensorimotor cortices during externally driven stimulation involving motion stimuli, but not during resting state. This finding supports the interpretation that sensory-related neural hypoconnectivity is context-dependent and not reflective of intrinsic traits. Further, we identify a significant sex-by-sensory gradient interaction, indicating heightened sensitivity of connectivity patterns to sensory severity in autistic males. These findings indicate that sensory atypicality in ASD points toward a continuous regulatory manifold linked to disrupted social-sensory integration.