Fig. 5

Neuroimaging (FA) differences between the TDC sample and the three subgroups of ASD, namely Advanced, Balanced, and Delayed. Colors correspond to effect size of group comparison (Cohen’s d), with positive values indicate higher FA values in ASD. All regions, regardless of p values, are visualized. The Advanced group, in average, had higher FA values compared with the TDC sample. The effect sizes become smaller across regions in the Balanced group. In the Delayed group, we see dominantly negative effect sizes. The hierarchy between the subgroups in terms of symptom severity (Delayed > Balanced > Advanced) is preserved (in the reversed direction) with FA values as well