A pioneering study from Japan indicates that adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) process visual bodily information in the brain similarly to normally developing (TD) adults. Despite well-documented behavioral and social differences, the brain’s representation of body parts—especially in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC)—remains remarkably similar between the two groups.

The research, published in Imaging Neuroscience on June 5, 2025, was led by Assistant Professor Yuto Kurihara from Waseda University. Collaborators included Professor Hirotaka Kosaka from Fukui University, Professor Rieko Oso, and Junior Researcher Yuko Okamoto. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the team explored how adults with ASD and TD adults respond neurologically to images of body parts.

“Our goal was to test whether the lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC)—a brain region known to represent visual information about different body parts in a clustered way—functions differently in adults with autism,” says Kurihara.

Similar Brain Responses in Visual Body Processing

The team recruited 23 adults with ASD and 23 TD adults. Each underwent fMRI scans while viewing grayscale images of eight different body parts, full-body images, and chairs as a control object. To ensure participants remained attentive, they performed a simple memory task during the scans.

The scans revealed that both groups activated the LOTC in similar ways when viewing body-related images. Crucially, the size and strength of brain activation did not differ significantly between ASD and TD participants. Advanced analysis showed that body parts were grouped into three consistent categories across both groups:

• Action effectors (hands, feet, arms, legs)
  
• Non-effectors (chest, waist)
  
• Facial parts (upper and lower face)
  

“These results suggest that adults with autism perceive visual body information in much the same way as neurotypical adults,” says Kurihara. “These challenges long-standing assumptions that differences in body-related perception contribute to social difficulties in ASD.”

Further analysis confirmed that participants’ brain patterns could distinguish between body parts with equal accuracy, regardless of diagnosis. The researchers also examined links between brain patterns and factors such as autism severity or sensory traits, but found no strong correlations.

Interestingly, previous studies involving autistic children had shown different LOTC responses. The researchers believe these differences may reduce with age.

“Children with autism may see body-related information differently, but those differences seem to fade as they grow up,” Kurihara explains.

Implications for Autism Support and Intervention

While many individuals with ASD continue to experience challenges interpreting emotions or intentions from gestures, the study suggests that the root of the issue may lie not in how visual information is received, but in how it’s interpreted.

“Our brains keep learning,” Kurihara says. “This study gives us hope—and a reason to keep improving how we support people with autism at every stage of life.”

This insight paves the way for better-targeted interventions focusing on social understanding rather than sensory training, especially in adults with autism.

About Waseda University
Founded in 1882 in Tokyo, Waseda University is a leading private research institution known for its commitment to academic excellence and social impact. It has produced numerous global leaders and is actively working toward achieving a zero-carbon campus by 2032. 

About Assistant Professor Yuto Kurihara
Dr. Kurihara specializes in social and cognitive neuroscience, focusing on autism, emotional processing, and brain imaging techniques. His work contributes to understanding how the autistic brain perceives and interprets social cues.

Original Publication
Authors: Yuto Kurihara, Hirotaka Kosaka, Bianca A. Schuster, Ryo Kitada, Takanori Kochiyama, Hidehiko Okazawa, Rieko Osu and Yuko Okamoto.
Journal: Imaging Neuroscience
DOI: 10.1162/IMAG.a.24
Method of Research: Experimental study
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Visual body part representation of the lateral occipitotemporal cortex in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A univariate and multivariate fMRI study
Article Publication Date: 5-Jun-2025
COI Statement: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.