Recent research published in Molecular Psychiatry1 suggests that certain fragments of Neanderthal DNA may contribute to the complex landscape of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Functional MRI scans showed that individuals with a higher number of these Neanderthal variants exhibited increased activity in visual processing regions and decreased activation in the brain’s default mode network, which supports social cognition and introspection. These brain connectivity patterns align with cognitive profiles seen in many autistic individuals – heightened perceptual acuity, intense attention to detail, and social fatigue.