Background: The core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) include social differences, communication difficulties, and restricted or repetitive behaviors. While ASD is four times more common in boys than in girls, the cause of this gender gap is unclear. Research studies are being conducted to investigate gender differences in ASD.

What’s new: In a large study of ASD core symptom severity in boys and girls, Stanford University School of Medicine researchers report that girls with ASD have fewer repetitive behaviors than boys on the spectrum. The study, published in the journal Molecular Autism, looked at ASD symptom severity using two well-established datasets of children with ASD. In both datasets, the researchers found that girls scored better than boys on measures of restrictive and repetitive behaviors, with no difference between social and communication function reported.

Brain imaging data for 25 boys and 25 girls with ASD from one of the datasets showed differences in grey matter volume in motor-related and social brain areas. The researchers did not find the same gender differences in grey matter volume between neurotypical boys and girls.

Why it’s important: Examination of ASD core symptom severity in boys and girls may offer clues about ASD risk factors in each gender—such as brain areas sensitive to environmental or genetic stressors. The current study included children with high-functioning ASD only. Additional studies that test these findings in children from a wider range of the spectrum are needed.

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