Abstract

This study looked at the amount of facial asymmetry (FA) in children on the autism spectrum compared to non-autistic children and children who have siblings on the autism spectrum. The study found that children on the spectrum, compared to the other two groups, had greater FA, and that increased FA was related to greater severity of autistic symptoms. The face and brain grow together during the earliest stages of development, and so findings of facial differences might inform future studies of early brain differences associated with the autism.

Citation

Boutrus, M., Gilani, S., Alvares, G.A., Maybery, M.T., Tan, D.W., Mian, A. & Whitehouse, A.J.O. (2019). Increased facial asymmetry in autism spectrum conditions is associated with symptom presentation. Autism Research, early online. doi: 10.1002/aur.2161