Enlarged Amygdala Involved in Psychiatric Challenges in Young Girls with Autism

Preschool-age girls with autism face greater challenges with emotional and behavioral problems than similar age boys with autism. These challenges are associated with a larger amygdala, a UC Davis Health study has found. The amygdala is a key part of the brain that helps regulate emotions and detects threats.

The findings, by Christine Wu Nordahl, associate professor in the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and colleagues at the UC Davis MIND Institute, suggest that amygdala development may help predict these psychological and behavioral problems that can occur at high rates in girls with autism.

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