NEUROIMAGING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AUTISTIC AND NEUROTYPICAL BRAINS:IMPLICATIONS FOR SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION—A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
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Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with differences in speech, language, and social communication. This systematic review synthesised neuroimaging evidence published between 2020 and 2026 comparing autistic and neurotypical brains. A systematic search of nine databases identified 832 records, of which 30 peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings showed atypical organisation in language-related cortical regions, white matter pathways such as the arcuate and uncinate fasciculi, functional networks including the default mode and salience networks, auditory electrophysiological processing, and self-related brain networks. Overall, the evidence suggests that communication differences in autism arise from distributed neural network organisation rather than isolated abnormalities in a single brain region. These findings have implications for speech-language pathology assessment, early intervention, and individualised support planning. Future research should include longitudinal designs, larger diverse samples, and stronger links between neuroimaging findings and communication outcomes.
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