According to a new study by scientists at the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital, adults on the autistic spectrum have more dopamine receptors in their brains than neurotypical individuals. Published in the European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging<\/i>, the paper is the first to combine three advanced brain-scanning techniques to study the neurobiological mechanisms associated with autism.<\/p>\n
In an observation of 60 adults, researchers simultaneously examined the brain’s dopaminergic system, energy consumption (glucose metabolism), and communication between different brain regions. It was found that increased energy consumption in certain deep regions of the brain in autistic individuals is directly linked to a high number of dopamine receptors. Furthermore, the dopamine system affects regional brain communication in an entirely different way in their brains compared to neurotypical individuals.<\/p>\n
According to the scientists, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that regulates motivation, learning, and movement. The new findings indicate that this system plays a much more fundamental role in autism than previously thought. Notably, the dopamine system also plays a central role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Consequently, the new data opens up prospects for understanding why these two conditions so frequently overlap.<\/p>\n
Lead study author Laust Vind Knudsen emphasizes that the finding does not directly explain the causes of autism development and is not used for diagnostics. According to him, the goal of the study is not to “change” people\u2014the data obtained through advanced technologies helps scientists better understand the biological foundations of neurodiversity in order to create a better, more understandable, and adapted environment in society for individuals on the autistic spectrum.<\/p>\n