#Brainevolution

A new line of research suggests that autism may be tied to the rapid evolution of brain cell types that are uniquely human. Scientists tracing the genetic and cellular changes that shaped the human brain argue that certain cortical neurons in the outer layers evolved much faster than in our closest relatives, and that autism-associated genes show distinctive evolutionary shifts. If confirmed, this idea helps explain why autism appears more frequently in humans than in other species and highlights how our very brain architecture—while enabling advanced social cognition and language—may also carry trade-offs that influence developmental neurodiversity. For Thai families, educators, and health professionals, the findings arrive at a moment when awareness, early screening, and inclusive supports for children with autism are increasingly prioritized in Thai society, yet still unevenly distributed across regions and communities.

New neuroscientific findings compare human brains with those of chimpanzees and macaques, revealing how our brain’s internal wiring supports advanced social skills. Researchers from Oxford University and Aix-Marseille Université show that humans differ less in overall size and more in how brain regions connect and communicate. For Thai audiences, this adds depth to our understanding of cognition and social behavior.

The study shifts focus from body size to the brain’s internal architecture. By analyzing MRI data, researchers mapped white matter connections, or connectivity fingerprints, across species. These patterns help explain why humans perform complex social interactions and language tasks more efficiently than other primates.