Excitation/inhibition balance subtypes in autism and their genetic, neural, and clinical profiles.
Researchers found three EEG-derived patterns within the autistic group, with different clinical and genetic profiles. This is a research finding, not a diagnostic test or treatment-selection tool.
Arutiunian V, Sullivan CAW, Santhosh M, Neuhaus E, Borland H, Bernier RA, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M, Jack A, Jeste S, McPartland JC, Naples A, Van Horn JD, Pelphrey KA, Webb SJ, Gupta AR.
Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996) · Publication date: 2026-09-12
Added to site: 2026-09-13
DOI: 10.1007/s00702-026-03283-0
First-publication date from the authoritative indexed record.
- Modalities
- EEG, QEEG
- Clinical focus
- Autism, Biomarkers, Personalization
- Population
- Sex-balanced sample of youths with and without autism
- Sample
- 310 youths: 164 with autism and 146 typically developing
- Intervention / method
- Resting 128-channel EEG, behavioral phenotyping, copy-number-variant and gene-expression analyses
- Comparator
- Typically developing group and data-derived subgroups within the autism cohort
Clinician summary
Data-driven clustering identified typical, excitation-greater-than-inhibition and inhibition-greater-than-excitation profiles. Imbalance subgroups differed in clinical phenotype and copy-number-variant gene-expression patterns.
How to interpret the findings
Cross-sectional clustering requires independent replication and prospective validation. Resting EEG estimates do not directly measure synaptic excitation or inhibition, and the study does not establish clinical utility or treatment response.
Equipment and disclosures
High-density 128-channel EEG; commercial equipment was not identified in the abstract.
The indexed record identifies NIMH grant R01MH10028. Competing-interest disclosures were not verified from the abstract.
Related evidence
Compare findings from the same clinical area, including mixed results.
- Clinical Efficacy of High-Frequency Deep Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Depression and the Predictive Role of Baseline Triglyceride Levels: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial. · Positive with limitations
- Neurofeedback for functional neurological disorders: future directions for research and clinical practice. · Positive with limitations
- Validation of Low-Frequency Oscillatory Activity as an Indicator of Post-Stroke Injury and Recovery. · Positive with limitations
- Identifying poor responders to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation using structural brain networks. · Positive with limitations
- Disentangling oscillatory and aperiodic neural activity in autism: A spectral parameterization analysis of neurofeedback intervention. · Positive with limitations
Summary prepared with AI assistance. Source verification does not imply an independent replication or a clinician's endorsement. Read our review method.